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The mod banning these users is the same mod who made the posts they downvoted. This is mod abuse, turning the downvote button into an auto-self-ban button.
The message is "If you disagree with me, you will be banned"
Monitoring and banning users for using lemmy as intended to signal boost your opinion should be grounds to have all mod privileges removed. This behaviour undermines the integrity of the server and the wider fediverse.
Well ultimately it doesn't happen that often across the Fediverse. Specific communities that are controversial are likely to take harder lines on it, and big communities just won't even notice it anymore. Like I only see this at all when its in reference to new and niche communities that, lets be clear, most users won't ever be interested in.