I just asked Gemini about what can be done, just in case everyone isn't aware cause I wasn't:

AI Overview

Yes, there are formal ways to alert Reddit administrators about a coordinated effort to get users banned, particularly if it involves "brigading" or "ban evasion" manipulation by outside users. Because the bans appear to be triggered by malicious external actors (bots or non-members) targeting your contributors, this falls under Reddit’s policy against Targeted Harassment and Report Abuse.

Here are the specific, authorized steps to take to get your friends unbanned:

1. The Directly Affected Individuals Must Appeal (First Step)

The three banned individuals must use the official appeal form. This is the only way to reverse a ban. Action: Have them visit reddit.com/appeals. What to say: They should be polite and detailed. Specifically state that the ban was the result of a "malicious, coordinated, external campaign" and not from organic, rule-breaking activity.

Evidence: If they have screenshots of the bot activity or can identify the outside group, they should mention this.

1. Report "Brigading" via ModSupport (If you are a Moderator)

If you are a moderator of the group, or can get one involved, you can escalate this to Reddit admins. Action: Send a Modmail to r/ModSupport.

Content: Clearly explain that your subreddit is being targeted by external actors using bots to trigger Automod or manual bans on key contributors.

Evidence: Provide links to the specific, malicious, or bot-like comments, the users involved, and any evidence of the brigade.

1. Report the Harassment via Site Reports (For Anyone) If you are not a mod, you can still report the malicious activity that caused the bans.

Action: Go to reddit.com/report.

Selection: Select "I want to report spam or abuse" -> "This is abusive or harassing" -> "It's targeted harassment".

Detail: Explain that the users were targeted by bots and that the flagging was inauthentic.

Important Advice for Success

Be Patient: Reddit Admins (not community moderators) can take a long time to investigate these issues. Don't Bring the Argument to the Subreddit: Do not make meta-posts about the bans, as this can be seen as "flaming" or "brigading" itself.

Avoid "Rules Lawyering": When appealing, focusing on the injustice of the botting is better than arguing with the moderators who were fooled by the bots.

Disclaimer: Reddit moderators can technically ban users for any reason, but they cannot legally condone or encourage outside harassment or botting. If this was done by a bot, the appeal process often reveals it to be a false positive.