Ask HN: Notifying users about hellbanning

I think we need a general review of this situation. I read the new page a lot (and flag a lot) and I am consistently seeing worthy submissions from people who are hellbanned. I don't have the time or inclination to dig into comment histories to figure out why that took place, but it seems to me that it ought to time out after a week or somesuch except in the most egregious cases.

Although I can upvote, there's no way to bring a worthy [dead] comment back to life. It's rather pointless to punish bad behavior (by flagging) if there is no corresponding method to reward good behavior.

How does one know someone is hellbanned?

Just one dead comment? Or all dead comments?

Can someone reply to this just to set my mind at rest :-)

You're not hellbanned. Can someone do the same for me? I cannot seem to up-vote anymore

I can see your comment.

log out and see if comments that were in black change to grey.

Thx

And here is the primary problem of HN. This is the mechanism that will turn HN into Valve, mark my words.