Quote Originally Posted by Nobuyuki_Sanada View Post
If they were streaming and using mods at the same time they are just asking to get banned. We and SE don't want to have to create content with the mindset that players will need to use mods in order to complete the content. Normalizing the use of mods is bad. Cosmetic mods are widely accepted because they have no bearing on the design team at SE and how they create content. If the goal of the SE team is to make difficult content but the content they create is too easy because of mods then it becomes a problem. Forcing players to use mods is a way of gatekeeping new players. It creates a barrier of entry in the learning process that is not good. Creating fights around mods is a terrible design decision. Mods are in the hands of creators outside of SE so you have no control over what they can or cannot do. Fights in the future may become impossible if the mod loses support. It also becomes really hard to argue what is acceptable to not acceptable, eventually leading to mods that actually do play the game for you. This all is the reason for the no tolerance policy on mods. They can't really stop you unless you publicize your use of it but to keep the game in a desirable state they have to try.

If your friends don't understand this and think it's harmless then that is on them. I would just point out that if they want to keep pushing the issue you could report his/her stream. It also sounds like more happened than OP let on. To ban/block without any kind of request doesn't sound like something someone does to a friend they have been playing with for awhile.
Wait wait wait why dont cosmetic mods have no bearing on what SE designs? They literally sell outfits and mounts.