Not all users are created equal. Some are toxic for your platform. They might constantly complain without adding value, spread negativity, or worse, abuse your system or other users. These users drain resources and can push your product in a direction you didn’t intend. In a sense, bad users can create more problems than solutions. Keeping them around could cost you the trust and loyalty of your better users.
Take online communities, for instance. If you let trolls or toxic personalities dominate the discussion, the quality contributors—the ones who are actually interested in meaningful conversation—will leave. So, sometimes, firing users is the best way to maintain the integrity and growth of your platform.
GitHub: Protecting Code Collaboration
GitHub is the go-to place for developers to share code, collaborate, and contribute to open-source projects. But GitHub isn’t afraid to ban users who violate their policies or abuse the platform. Whether it’s people spamming repositories or attempting to inject harmful code, GitHub takes action. They know that keeping those users around would degrade the trust the platform has built over the years.
Facebook: Banning for Safety
On a bigger scale, Facebook had to take action by suspending or banning accounts that spread misinformation or were involved in election interference. While these decisions stirred controversy, they had to prioritize the long-term health and safety of the platform over short-term user numbers. In their case, doing nothing would’ve harmed their credibility.
Airbnb: Banning Problematic Hosts and Guests
Airbnb had to take a firm stance by banning problematic users—both hosts and guests. Hosts who violated policies, offered unsafe environments, or engaged in discrimination were removed from the platform. Similarly, guests who vandalized properties or abused the system were banned. By doing this, Airbnb prioritized safety and trust, ensuring that the platform remained a reliable place for both hosts and guests.
This wasn’t just about bad behavior—it was about maintaining a positive experience for the majority of users. Airbnb’s success depends on the trust between hosts and guests, and they were willing to cut off toxic users to protect that trust.
Reddit: Shutting Down Toxic Communities
Reddit has long been a haven for internet communities, but not all of those communities contributed positively. Some subreddits became breeding grounds for hate speech, harassment, and illegal activities. Reddit wasn’t afraid to shut these communities down, effectively “firing” large groups of users who were toxic to the platform.
Reddit’s decision wasn’t without backlash, but it helped clean up the platform and maintain its reputation as a place for free, but responsible, discussion. It’s a classic case of prioritizing the long-term health of the platform over keeping toxic users for short-term engagement metrics.
Twitch: Banning Content Creators
Twitch, the popular streaming platform, regularly bans content creators who violate their guidelines, especially around issues like harassment, hate speech, and inappropriate content. While these bans can sometimes involve big-name streamers, Twitch prioritizes the well-being of its community over keeping problematic creators for viewership numbers.
By removing these users, Twitch ensures that the platform remains welcoming and safe, protecting the broader community and encouraging long-term growth.
Firing Users Strengthens Your Core Audience
When you remove users that don’t align with your product’s goals, you create space for the right users to thrive. The people who benefit the most from your product will appreciate it more, and their engagement will improve. Plus, you’ll have more energy and resources to focus on the users who actually matter.
It’s all about nurturing a user base that supports and grows with your product. Sometimes, the best way to do that is by saying goodbye to those who don’t.
I’m not saying fire users at the first sign of trouble. It’s important to give feedback, offer help, and show users the right way to engage with your product or platform. But if it becomes clear they’re just not a fit, don’t hesitate to make the tough call. Your product’s long-term success depends on a strong, supportive user base—and sometimes, that means letting go of the wrong users.
