Like the title says, another prominent IDer of my specialized taxon recently returned from a several-month-long hiatus to the platform and promptly blocked me within a few days of returning. I’m not entirely sure why, and would appreciate some guidance on what to do going forward. This user and I have had some curt exchanges before and often have disagreed with IDs (to the point where we thought it best to have a deeper conversation in DMs about why we so often disagree). However, we always kept it civil and within site rules.
I’m not mad at them blocking me, but given that they are a very prominent IDer in my taxon, further contact feels inevitable. Any guidance on what to do going forward would be appreciated, even if the solution is just as obvious as “whelp, just keep IDing”.
Edit:
Swapped out the word “banned” for “blocked” because that is the correct word to be used. Whoops 
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“often have disagreed with IDs (to the point where we thought it best to have a deeper conversation in DMs about why we so often disagree”
… that would be the point. ;) As an ID’er (I do for plants) I don’t need to have a long discussion about every decision I did for IDing the stuff. As well it could sometimes go in very interesting topics, it is time consuming.
And if it is anoingly repeated about the allways same perhaps difficult to seperate species…
(could be only my opinion).
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I have been blocked. And unblocked. Sometimes I know who, other times ?? Blocking 3 people is a tool iNat gives us to keep this social media ‘not toxic’. Muting people is a good option - we can still engage, but by choice on our own terms. Not ah good grief not ANOTHER notification.
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I’d ignore it and move on.
Perhaps use this an an opportunity to reflect on your exchanges and consider if there are things you’d do or say differently in the future if/when the type of disagreements like you were having come up again, because chances are they will.
It’s likely you got on each other’s nerves and they decided they didn’t need that in their lives. Based on the information there is no saying who is in the ‘right’ in this situation, or even if there is a ‘right’, and it’s not anyone else’s position to say so either way. That’s for the two of you to think over and decide for yourselves.
Personally, my experience in life is that ‘civil’ and ‘curt exchanges’ don’t really go hand-in-hand and that ‘civil’ allows for a lot of stuff to be said that’s worse and longer impacting than outright rudeness.
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As earthknight says, it’s hard to say much without more info. But I expect the persons you disagree with are considerably older than you. Just remember to be respectful of older people on this forum, just as you would talking to them in person. If you disagree, try to state your reasons dispassionately and non-confrontationally–e.g. don’t say “I disagree” but just list reasons for your ID. Older people are likely to be a bit sensitive about being “shown up” by a teenager.
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Despite the fact that the other person has not been named, and the relatively benign nature of the conflict, the forum is still not a place to hash out personal issues. The details given make it relatively easy to identify who the other person could be. I’m not sure how a more generalized “what to do if active user X has blocked me in a way that interferes with my ability to do Y” conversation would go, either, considering that the right to block for whatever reason is important.
If there is no harassment or other TOS violation, try not to take it personally.
If there is harassment etc., please flag relevant content and in severe cases contact help@inaturalist.org or the support desk.
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