Punishments
Introduction
On Minehut, punishments are utilized by members of the Minehut Staff team to maintain order within the community and ensure that all users are following the rules. This helps ensure that Minehut's environment remains healthy and welcoming to players of all identities and nationalities. Upon joining Minehut or creating a Minehut account, you agree to follow the Minehut Rules, the Privacy Policy, and the Terms of Service. Additionally, you must follow the terms of other platforms that Minehut utilizes, including the Discord Terms of Service, the Minecraft Usage Guidelines (MUG), and the End User License Agreement (EULA).[1]
This wiki page details the types of punishments a user can receive, the reasons they might receive them, and how a user may appeal a punishment they consider harsh or unfair. You can view your punishment history in the Minehut lobby by running the /punishments or the shorthand /puns command.
Types of Punishments
Verbal Warnings
Verbal warnings are the lowest form of punishment a player can receive. They are not recorded on your permanent record and serve as a friendly reminder from a Moderator or Administrator to follow the rules you have broken. Verbal warnings are generally used for minor offenses such as but not limited to: Server Advertisement or Spamming. In these cases, a staff member might ask you to use the /ad command or slow down your messaging.
Avoiding a verbal warning is relatively easy, as they are not official punishments but rather preliminary reminders before more serious consequences are imposed.
Formal Warnings
Formal warnings are a step up from verbal warnings. They are permanently recorded in your punishment history and are the only type of Minehut punishment officially communicated in the chat, sending a reminder to all users in the lobby to follow the rules.
Formal warnings address similar offenses as verbal warnings but are issued after a verbal warning is ignored or not deemed sufficient. To avoid a formal warning, adhere to the verbal warnings and familiarize yourself with the rules.
If you have an active formal warning, you will be reminded of it each time you join the lobby until it expires. This ensures you remember what the warning was for.
Some formal warnings may also result in a kick, while others may just be displayed in chat. Formal warnings are typically followed by mutes or bans depending on the severity of the offense. You cannot receive multiple formal warnings for the same reason, but you may receive them for different reasons.
Mutes
Mutes are a more serious punishment than formal warnings. They are permanently logged in your punishment history and restrict your use of chat, /ad, or /msg for the duration specified. Mute durations are based on your previous punishment history.
A mute is typically issued if you have received a formal warning previously. If no formal warning was given before a mute, it is likely because the offense was severe enough to warrant a direct punishment.
Offenses that may result in a mute include but are not limited to: Server Advertisement (repeated), Spamming (repeated), Disrespecting Others (repeated), Auto Advertisement, or Advertisement Rewards.
Mutes lasting less than 1 week cannot be appealed. They can only be appealed if the punished user genuinely believes the mute is harsh or unfair. To avoid a mute, pay attention to and follow previous warnings.
Bans
Bans are more severe than mutes and are issued for serious or disturbing offenses. Bans are network-wide and restrict access to any server hosted through Minehut, as well as the Minehut lobby. Some bans may also extend to other Minehut platforms, depending on the offense.
Temporary bans can result from but are not limited to: Discrimination, Self Harm Encouragement, Encouraging Bad Behavior (repeated), or Inappropriate Behavior.
Permanent bans can result from but are not limited to: Predatory Behavior / Explicit Content, Threats, Under 13, Revealing Personal Information, or Inappropriate Skin/Name.
Both the Under 13 and Inappropriate Skin/Name bans can be appealed. To appeal an Under 13 ban, you must prove your age using the GamerSafer app. Appeals for Inappropriate Skin/Name bans should be submitted at support.minehut.com.
Bans lasting less than 1 week cannot be appealed unless the user believes the ban is unfair or excessively harsh. To avoid a ban, follow previous warnings and adhere to the Minehut Rules. Most Minehut players have never been banned from the network.
Namebans
Namebans are a unique type of punishment on Minehut. They are the only punishments that can be reversed without administrative intervention. If you are namebanned, you will be required to change your Minecraft username to continue playing on Minehut. Usernames are permanently banned when namebanned, so even if you change your username back to a banned one after being unbanned, you will not be able to use that username again. Namebans are typically issued for inappropriate names.
Server Suspension
A server suspension occurs when a Minehut server violates the Minehut Rules. Server suspensions prevent the server owner from editing their server and block all players from joining it. Additionally, the server name is locked in place.
Server owners are notified via email prior to their suspension unless their offense was extremely severe.
How to Appeal a Punishment
If you believe you’ve been unfairly punished, you can appeal the decision by submitting a support ticket at support.minehut.com and selecting Reports & Appeals and the appropriate appeal type. It is recommended to be as honest as possible in your appeal, as dishonesty will not be beneficial. Appeals are reviewed during the business week. Punishments lasting less than a week can only be appealed if they are deemed unfair or excessively harsh.[2]