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Leveraging reactance theory, we formalized our hypotheses relating users\u2019 behavioral reactions to this content moderation strategy. We implemented multiple empirical designs to analyze data from a major social media platform. Our results show that users provided more answers, on average, after bans were lifted. In contrast, we found that the quality of the content (measured by linguistic features and content appropriateness) decreased after user bans. Furthermore, we found that platform recognitions, such as badges and recommendations, alleviated individuals\u2019 reactance toward bans. Specifically, users who have received platform recognitions reduced inappropriate postings and improved the quality of their content after bans. Lastly, we explored the heterogeneous effects of user bans for different banning causes and repeated bans. Our research is among the first to evaluate the effectiveness of user bans and has important implications for content moderation on social media.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.25300\/misq\/2025\/18108","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,18]],"date-time":"2025-09-18T16:34:11Z","timestamp":1758213251000},"page":"211-242","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Social Media Moderation and Content Generation: Evidence From User Bans"],"prefix":"10.25300","volume":"50","author":[{"given":"Xiaohui","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Sheldon B. 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