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Instructions

To the ST- Scratch is advertised as a place for everyone to share their creations and express themselves. A place for people to be creative, and to share what they make with others in a way that is safe and supportive and encouraging. Not many platforms offer what Scratch does in the manner that Scratch does -- a manner that should open the platform to everyone and keep it an accessible, encouraging site for all those who wish to make things and share what they make with others. Instead, we have people hating on each other's projects and getting away with it. We have faulty moderation. And we have false bannings. I would like to point out in particular, the bannings of @TheDoodledFanta and her alts (including, among others, @notthedoodledfanta, @-fantatastic, and @_dizzy-stars_). This person has gained popularity on Scratch for her animations, art, and storytelling skills. She posts high-quality projects featuring the deeply unique, interesting world she has created. She spends hours coding complex animations and making art and developing her stories in order to share them with the Scratch community. Furthermore, she regularly shows in her interactions with other Scratchers that she is a kind, funny, and encouraging person. She is an inspiration to many Scratchers, including myself, motivating others to be more creative and make stories and animations of our own. @TheDoodledFanta and associated alt accounts have been unfairly banned. First on the grounds of "sharing personal information," which is an utterly false statement. Never once did this person share any personal information on this site. She was banned again on virtually all of her alts due to one project she posted on one alt, @_Vent-Account_. Virtually no one was even aware this alt existed. Even if this project was too dark for Scratch, it could have been simply taken down, rather than resulting in a permanent ban across nearly all of this person's accounts. Now, she has been IP banned. Scratch is a place that promotes people's voices. Scratch is a place that promotes diversity and inclusion. Scratch is a place for all creators to feel welcome and supported. In banning and associated alt accounts, a voice has been silenced. And thus made Scratch a less diverse, less interesting, less inclusive place. This has gone against the very thing the site promotes above all. And is not the only Scratcher who has been banned on unfair grounds. Many, many beloved Scratchers have been falsely reported and banned, to the point where Scratchers have begun to comment on others' profiles, "Don't tell me you were banned too!" I understand that the Scratch Team receives many reportings and messages every day, and that it is an impossible task for the Scratch Team to investigate every case in detail. However, it has gotten to the point where the false bannings have become a major problem on this site. It is also a major reason why many people are deciding to quit Scratch. More voices discouraged. More voices lost. Instead of creating a healthy, supportive, encouraging environment for creators, it is deeply harming the mental health of people who did nothing wrong and simply wanted to share their creations with others. This needs to stop.