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If a user is suspended on some site, they cannot interact with the site using their account.

I have read in several places that creating another account to bypass a suspension is wrong. (In general, if a user has multiple accounts they should not be used to do something which can't be done from one single account. This would be an example of violating this rule.)

Still, if they access the site while logged of, they still can:

  • ask questions (with exception of some sites where only registered users can post questions);
  • post answers;
  • make suggested edits.

Using a cookie-based account brings some problems - since user might eventually lose access the account and they can no longer comment under their questions/answers. This is more problematic for questions, but perhaps not such a big problem for answers. Suggested edits seem the least problematic from this viewpoint - other than approving/rejecting an edit you seldom need to interact with the user who made the suggestion.

I can imagine a user who invested a lot of time in some site, so they care about it and want to help the site - but for some time they are not allowed to. Making some anonymous edits would be at least some way for them to help while they are on the naughty step.

Question: Would contributing using an unregistered account during the period of suspension still be considered a violation? Are at least suggested edits from such users allowed?

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    Posting as an unregistered user creates a cookie-based account, which would fall under the policy of not creating suspension-evasion accounts. Suggesting edits while logged-out is a grayer area, since no account is created or used for it. Commented Aug 6, 2019 at 7:25
  • Possible duplicate of My account has been temporarily suspended; what does that mean? "If the account holder creates a new account to bypass the suspension, that new account will also receive the same suspension period as the previous one..." Commented Aug 6, 2019 at 14:38
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    @gnat The part about anonymous editing isn't addressed there, since that's done through no account. Commented Aug 6, 2019 at 21:29

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Don't do it.

If folks did find out, it's a violation and typically will not end well. A suspension is a suspension, and as far as anyone cares, the account being suspended means that the person is suspended.

Fundamentally, you are still violating your suspension.

If you invested time, and properly cared about the site, you wouldn't be trying to find thin justifications to keep "contributing". It's also, well, reflecting a mindset of someone insufficiently contrite over the actions that got them suspended.

The time away to cool down would do someone who can't step away more not less good.

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  • If you cared about the site you'd play by the rules and not end up suspended in the first place... Commented Aug 6, 2019 at 7:40
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    @Luuklag easier said than done. When you care about someone things get heat up when having arguments. In marriage it might end in shouting and couple not talking for few days, on SE the equivalent is getting a suspension. :/ Commented Aug 6, 2019 at 7:56
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    People make mistakes sometimes. Its critical to accept that. That said, its also necessary to draw a very clear line to what's not ok, especially if someone is almost certainly not in the best state of mind. Commented Aug 6, 2019 at 8:01
  • This answers contradicts observational data: meta.stackexchange.com/questions/334398/… Commented Nov 6, 2019 at 13:52
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Would contributing using unregistered account during the period of suspension still be considered a violation?

Yes it would, the person is the one who is suspended. Not the 0s and 1s that make up their user account.

Are at least suggested edits from such users allowed?

No they are not allowed. Of course in practice it is terribly hard to enforce this.

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