What Is Banhammer?

Banhammer: It's a word you probably don't hear much daily. Unless you're a moderator or administrator on an online gaming platform, that is. A "banhammer" is a term for the power of moderators and system administrators to effectively ban users from a digital space. It began in Internet chat rooms and has since been used in online gaming platforms. In the early days of chatrooms, it was just a hammer that would ban people from the chatroom if they were breaking the rules. But as time passed, banhammers evolved—and so did how they were used! Today, most online gaming platforms have their unique form of banhammering—but they all work similarly: When someone breaks the rules, they get banned from playing in that game or forum until they are allowed back in again by an admin or moderator (or sometimes even banned permanently). Banhammers are used for everything from trolling other players to cheating at games (like poker or chess). Many professional poker players have been banned for cheating during tournaments! The banhammer is a powerful tool. It's the one you reach for when someone won't stop, even though they've been told to stop repeatedly. It results from your patience running out and your resolve solidifying into action. It's what happens when you decide that this person needs to go and is willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. The banhammer symbolizes authority, power, and control—but not always in a good way. It can be wielded as an instrument of oppression or exclusion by those who wield it without care or concern for its impact on others. The banhammer is often used as an excuse for bad behavior: "Well, if I get banned for saying X then so should everyone else who says X! " It can also be used as a weapon against those already marginalized: "If you don't like it here then leave! " The banhammer is a powerful tool because no one wants to see it coming down on them—and that's precisely why we need to talk about how we use it online today.