system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5:How does shadowbanning work?

I hear about it, but still don't fully understand how it works and for what purpose.

Edit: In a funny side effect to this thread, multiple mods show up to the thread to joke and explain. I, personally, thought it was pretty funny.
gpt
Basically, a shadowbanned user thinks they're participating, but they really aren't.

Users who are shadowbanned can vote, comment and submit, but they are the only one who will see their actions. Everything the account does gets separated from the rest of the site, so nobody else will see any of their submissions or comments, and their votes aren't counted.