# Ph Ban Prevention > Avoid shadow bans and penalties on Product Hunt. Use this skill to understand platform rules, identify risky behaviors, and ensure your launch practices are fully compliant. - **Type:** Skill - **Install:** `agentstack add skill-yoanbernabeu-producthunt-skills-ph-ban-prevention` - **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior - **Seller:** [yoanbernabeu](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/yoanbernabeu) - **Installs:** 0 - **Category:** [Agent Skills](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/agent-skills) - **Latest version:** 0.1.0 - **License:** MIT - **Upstream author:** [yoanbernabeu](https://github.com/yoanbernabeu) - **Source:** https://github.com/yoanbernabeu/producthunt-skills/tree/main/skills/compliance/ph-ban-prevention ## Install ```sh agentstack add skill-yoanbernabeu-producthunt-skills-ph-ban-prevention ``` Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent. ## About # Product Hunt Ban Prevention This skill helps you understand and avoid behaviors that could get your product unfeatured, votes removed, or your account banned on Product Hunt. ## When to Use This Skill - Planning your launch strategy - Training team and supporters - Reviewing outreach materials - Checking compliance before launch - Responding to flagged activity ## Types of Penalties ### 1. Vote Removal - Individual votes discounted or removed - Happens automatically via algorithm - May not be immediately visible ### 2. Product Unfeatured - Product removed from homepage - Still exists but not visible - Can happen mid-launch ### 3. Shadow Ban - Account actions don't count - Not notified you're banned - Activity appears normal to you ### 4. Account Suspension - Complete account ban - Public or private - May affect all associated products ## Prohibited Behaviors ### Category 1: Vote Manipulation 🚫 **Absolutely Forbidden:** - ❌ Buying upvotes - ❌ Using upvote services (Fiverr, etc.) - ❌ Creating fake accounts to vote - ❌ Vote exchange schemes - ❌ Paying for votes (even indirectly) **What Happens:** - Votes removed - Product unfeatured - Account banned - Reputation destroyed --- ### Category 2: Incentivized Voting 🚫 **Forbidden:** - ❌ "Upvote for discount" - ❌ "Vote to enter giveaway" - ❌ "First 100 upvoters get X" - ❌ Any reward tied to voting **What's Allowed:** - ✓ General launch discounts (not tied to voting) - ✓ "PH community gets X" (regardless of vote) - ✓ Offers for anyone who visits --- ### Category 3: Explicit Vote Requests 🚫 **Forbidden in Any Communication:** - ❌ "Please upvote" - ❌ "Every vote counts" - ❌ "Help us reach #1" - ❌ "Your upvote means everything" - ❌ "Vote for us" **What's Allowed:** - ✓ "Check it out and share your feedback" - ✓ "Would love your support" - ✓ "Let us know what you think" - ✓ "We launched — take a look!" --- ### Category 4: Coordinated Activity 🚫 **Suspicious Patterns:** - ❌ All votes from same IP/location - ❌ All votes in same 10-minute window - ❌ Votes from brand new accounts - ❌ Identical comment text - ❌ Voting rings/groups **What's Allowed:** - ✓ Staggered supporter outreach - ✓ Genuine community members voting - ✓ Natural geographic spread - ✓ Varied comment styles --- ### Category 5: Self-Promotion Abuse 🚫 **Forbidden:** - ❌ Commenting self-promotion on other products - ❌ Spamming discussions with your product - ❌ Creating fake discussions about your product **What's Allowed:** - ✓ Genuinely helpful comments - ✓ Mentioning your product when relevant - ✓ Participating in related discussions --- ### Category 6: Spam Behavior 🚫 **Forbidden:** - ❌ Mass messaging users - ❌ Automated outreach - ❌ Repeated submissions - ❌ Misleading product information ## How Detection Works ### Algorithm Signals Product Hunt's algorithm looks for: **Account Quality:** - Account age - Activity history - Engagement patterns - Social connections **Vote Patterns:** - Vote timing distribution - Geographic clustering - Account similarity - Velocity anomalies **Engagement Authenticity:** - Comment depth - Response quality - Discussion naturalness ### Human Review Moderators also check for: - Reported violations - Unusual patterns - Community complaints - Obvious manipulation ## Risk Assessment Checklist ### Before Launch **High Risk (Don't Do):** - [ ] Are you using any vote service? - [ ] Are you offering rewards for votes? - [ ] Are you asking directly for upvotes? - [ ] Are new accounts being created to vote? **Medium Risk (Be Careful):** - [ ] Are you sending mass emails at once? - [ ] Are all supporters voting same time? - [ ] Do all comments look similar? - [ ] Are you messaging PH users directly? **Low Risk (But Stay Alert):** - [ ] Is your product clearly explained? - [ ] Are your claims accurate? - [ ] Is your offer clearly communicated? ### During Launch **Watch For:** - Sudden drops in vote count - Product disappearing from homepage - Comments being removed - Unusual metric patterns ## Safe Practices Guide ### Safe Outreach **Email Best Practices:** ``` ✓ DO: Send to segmented lists in waves ✓ DO: Personalize messages ✓ DO: Ask for "support" or "feedback" ✓ DO: Respect unsubscribes ✗ DON'T: Send to purchased lists ✗ DON'T: Use same message for everyone ✗ DON'T: Ask for "upvotes" ✗ DON'T: Spam non-subscribers ``` **Social Media Best Practices:** ``` ✓ DO: Share authentically ✓ DO: Spread posts throughout day ✓ DO: Engage with responses ✓ DO: Thank supporters ✗ DON'T: Post same link repeatedly ✗ DON'T: Use engagement pods ✗ DON'T: Ask for votes publicly ✗ DON'T: Spam hashtags ``` ### Safe Supporter Activation **Do:** - Activate in waves (not all at once) - Use different time zones - Encourage genuine comments - Let people vote if they want **Don't:** - Coordinate exact voting times - Script identical comments - Pressure reluctant people - Force anyone to participate ### Safe Messaging Templates **Instead of:** "Please upvote our product!" **Say:** "We just launched — would love your feedback!" **Instead of:** "Every vote counts!" **Say:** "Your support means a lot to us." **Instead of:** "Help us reach #1!" **Say:** "Check it out and let us know what you think." **Instead of:** "Vote to win a prize" **Say:** "PH community gets 20% off (no vote required)" ## If Something Goes Wrong ### If Votes Are Removed **Don't:** - Panic - Spam more outreach - Create new accounts - Complain publicly **Do:** - Review your practices - Continue quality engagement - Focus on genuine community - Accept the result ### If Product Is Unfeatured **Steps:** 1. Stop all outreach immediately 2. Review potential violations 3. Contact PH support (calmly, factually) 4. Prepare explanation if asked 5. Learn for next time ### If Account Is Flagged **Steps:** 1. Do not create new accounts 2. Contact support@producthunt.com 3. Be honest about practices 4. Accept the decision 5. Rebuild reputation over time ## Compliance Checklist ### Pre-Launch Audit **Outreach Materials:** - [ ] No explicit vote requests - [ ] No vote-for-reward offers - [ ] Genuine, helpful language - [ ] Personalized content **Supporter Briefing:** - [ ] Instructed not to script comments - [ ] Explained staggered timing - [ ] Emphasized genuine engagement - [ ] No pressure to participate **Technical:** - [ ] Not using vote services - [ ] Not using bots - [ ] Real user accounts only - [ ] Natural geographic distribution ### Launch Day Monitoring - [ ] Watching for unusual patterns - [ ] Not over-activating if behind - [ ] Responding genuinely to comments - [ ] Not panicking about ranking ### Documentation (Just in Case) Keep records of: - Your outreach list (legitimate contacts) - Your supporter communication - Your email/social templates - Timeline of activities ## Output Format ``` COMPLIANCE CHECK FOR: [Product Name] RISK ASSESSMENT: High-Risk Behaviors: ☐ [Behavior] - [Status: Clear/At Risk/Violation] Medium-Risk Behaviors: ☐ [Behavior] - [Status] OUTREACH REVIEW: Email template: [Compliant/Needs revision] Social posts: [Compliant/Needs revision] Supporter briefing: [Complete/Incomplete] RECOMMENDED CHANGES: 1. [Specific change needed] 2. [Specific change needed] OVERALL STATUS: [Ready / Needs Work / High Risk] ``` ## Source & license This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code. - **Author:** [yoanbernabeu](https://github.com/yoanbernabeu) - **Source:** [yoanbernabeu/producthunt-skills](https://github.com/yoanbernabeu/producthunt-skills) - **License:** MIT Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above. ## Pricing - **Free** — Free ## Security capabilities Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access: - **Network access:** no - **Filesystem access:** no - **Shell / process execution:** no - **Environment & secrets:** no - **Dynamic code execution:** no *"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.* ## Versions - **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source. ## Links - Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-yoanbernabeu-producthunt-skills-ph-ban-prevention - Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/yoanbernabeu - Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse --- Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.