You are quite incorrect. The only thing automated is the SQUELCH. This was covered yet again, today, in the CS forum. What Is Blizzard's Policy Re: Mass-Report Exploit Used As Threat? - #3 by Mirasol-mannoroth
You can NOT get an automated Silence or Ban.
To deal with gold spammers there was an auto SQUELCH function put into the game long ago and it still exists. If enough reports are filed in a short time from unique Bnet accounts, it can result in a squelch until a GM can review it. Blizzard has never said how many reports it takes for that to happen. Nobody likes gold spammers, or spammers in general.
The actual punishments that are applied to accounts are not automated at all. Those are handled by a GM who reviews the logs attached to the report/s.
A Silence usually starts at 24 hours, but each time it is applied to the account it doubles. That removes a person from social functions and group abilities.
A Suspension can also be applied to remove a person from game for a while if the conduct is egregious enough or repeated enough.
A permanent Ban can also occur after enough infractions/bad enough conduct.
Those are all applied by a real person though, not an automated system. Asking guild mates or followers to “report so and so” can end up with a suspension for the people abusing the system.
It did receive a Forum Support Agent reply.