Nexus Mods deletes anti-Pride mod for Spider-Man, encourages angry users to delete their accounts

[John Elden Ring]

https://www.nexusmods.com/news/14733

Recently there's been some silly drama on our site that was sparked by someone uploading a mod for Spider-Man Remastered. The mod replaced the very few Pride flags the game actually has with the already prevalent USA flag texture from the game. The mod was removed from Nexus Mods and the author was banned.

To address the banning, which is what a lot of people want to focus on, the mod was uploaded by a sock puppet account (i.e. a newly made account by someone who already has an account on the site) and uploaded under the name "Mike Hawk". It was very clearly done deliberately to be a troll mod. The fact the user needed to make a sock puppet like a coward to upload the mod showed their intent to troll and that they knew it would not be allowed. Had they not been a coward and had they used their main account instead, we would have simply removed the mod and told them that we did not want to host it, only banning them if they reuploaded it again after being fairly warned. The creation of the sock puppet removed any doubt and made it a very easy decision for us. Both the sock puppet account and the user's main account have been banned.

In regards to the replacement of Pride flags in this game, or any game, our policy is thus: we are for inclusivity, we are for diversity. If we think someone is uploading a mod on our site with the intent to deliberately be against inclusivity and/or diversity then we will take action against it. The same goes for people attempting to troll other users with mods deliberately to cause a rise. For our part, we will endeavour to do a better job of moderating our website to this ethos ourselves.

We aren't the authority on what users can and cannot mod. Us removing a mod only means it cannot be found at Nexus Mods, nothing more, nothing less. We also note that we are not the only site that has removed this mod from their platform. As a private business, we have a right to choose what content we do and do not want to host on our platform. Respect this right the same way you want respect for your rights.

If you feel something goes against our policy then please report it. However, we will be the adjudicators on what we do or do not think is appropriate for Nexus Mods. And that goes for everyone no matter where they stand; left, right, up or down.

We don't want to and won't argue this with you. We've now explained our stance and we won't be providing a platform for you to distort our position in order to feed an irrational and paranoid narrative. You can do that elsewhere, where we won't care enough to read it.

If this policy upsets you, if we've broken some moral code of conduct as a business that you can't accept, then please, delete your account (bottom option) and move on, as we will.

 

[ethomaz]

I support their attitude.

The user created an alt account to post the mod so it was not an innocent or mistaken upload… so deserved the ban.

If any crazy user don’t agree with what was done then they are free to choose to delete their account and left the site.

I think the ideia to create an alt account to post or do something you actually know the issues it will generate so low… why not be true to yourself to begin?

 

[Nym]

I support whatever mods people want to use, doesn't impact anyone else's game so leave them alone. It's ok to push propaganda into my face but not ok for me to quietly take it out?

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Isn't the meme that just "pride month" ends companies take off the "pride flag"?

A missed opportunity of a mod.

 

[Loy310]

Good for them, gotta have some kind of standards today.

 

[IntentionalPun]

It's their right to not want certain things on their servers.

Also their right to make it clear it's because of some beliefs of theirs, and be loud and.. well.. proud, about it.

Pretty basic stuff.

 

[Deleted member 140]

I support whatever mods people want to use, doesn't impact anyone else's game so leave them alone. It's ok to push propaganda into my face but not ok for me to quietly take it out?

While I agree with your first sentence, I can't follow your argument here. What ominous "propaganda" is being pushed into your face?

There are very few Pride flags in this big city and while playing it, I didn't even notice they were there. I only learned about their existence from a Tweet after finishing the game.

How is that "propaganda being pushed"? It's very easy to miss and I don't even understand the "propaganda" point. What would be the content of that propaganda?

Sorry, but accusing the devs of using propaganda when having very few little flags that most people won't even notice, seems like the problem lies with your conspiracy driven world view and intolerance, nothing else.

 

[ethomaz]

While I agree with your first sentence, I can't follow your argument here. What ominous "propaganda" is being pushed into your face?

There are very few Pride flags in this big city and while playing it, I didn't even notice they were there. I only learned about their existence from a Tweet after finishing the game.

How is that "propaganda being pushed"? It's very easy to miss and I don't even understand the "propaganda" point. What would be the content of that propaganda?

Sorry, but accusing the devs of using propaganda when having very few little flags that most people won't even notice, seems like the problem lies with your conspiracy driven world view and nothing else.

Yeap.

Imagine if we are to dictate what devs can put on games lol
Seems like censorship.

Devs should put whatever they want in their game... including flags in the colors they find better.
You have the choice to buy it or not.

 

[Nym]

While I agree with your first sentence, I can't follow your argument here. What ominous "propaganda" is being pushed into your face?

There are very few Pride flags in this big city and while playing it, I didn't even notice they were there. I only learned about their existence from a Tweet after finishing the game.

How is that "propaganda being pushed"? It's very easy to miss and I don't even understand the "propaganda" point. What would be the content of that propaganda?

Sorry, but accusing the devs of using propaganda when having very few little flags that most people won't even notice, seems like the problem lies with your conspiracy driven world view and nothing else.

Any pushing of an agenda can be considered propaganda

The very fact that people have a problem with others opting out of this shows you it is an important agenda for many, it should not have made news that some people want to remove assets from their copy of a game

If I want to remove this with third party tools that don't impact anybody else's experience, I should be allowed to

 

[Bernd Lauert]

Any pushing of an agenda can be considered propaganda

The very fact that people have a problem with others opting out of this shows you it is an important agenda for many, it should not have made news that some people want to remove assets from their copy of a game

If I want to remove this with third party tools that don't impact anybody else's experience, I should be allowed to

Exactly. If it's "just a flag bro", then nobody would be upset about this mod.

It clearly isn't just a flag.

 

[IntentionalPun]

Any pushing of an agenda can be considered propaganda

The very fact that people have a problem with others opting out of this shows you it is an important agenda for many, it should not have made news that some people want to remove assets from their copy of a game

If I want to remove this with third party tools that don't impact anybody else's experience, I should be allowed to

You are allowed to remove them.

Go ahead, do it.. you can probably still find the files somewhere else... or make the mod yourself.

NexusMods isn't some official mod place.. it's the site, and the owner has every right to do whatever the hell they want with it. That's all right there in the statement they made.

As far as "propoganda"? Huh? Isn't that for like.. misleading statements to push an agenda?

All they did was state their stance on something... that's it. What was misleading about it? It's their feelings. "We are for diversity" isn't propoganda.

The mod was against their rules, the user who uploaded it knew this, which is why they created a sock account... they removed it and banned the guy.. an uproar ensued so they made some statements. The End

 

[rofif]

Idiotic. Exactly what I said in my thread yesterday!

 

[Nym]

Mod that doesn't impact anybody who doesn't opt in removed for political reasons, site owners prerogative obviously but I strongly disagree with that on principle.

People who own things can and should be allowed do what they want with them I agree. We've reached "make your own mod tools" nice

 

[ethomaz]

Exactly. If it's "just a flag bro", then nobody would be upset about this mod.

It clearly isn't just a flag.

I did not see the mod in action but from ERA relates there are multiple attempts to upload the mod all with homophobic descriptions.
Some replaced the flags with American flags.
Others with Ukrainian flags.
Others with text like “This is going to make leftists' heads explode.”

I think the mod itself should be fine like just replacing it with a proper description.

But that was never the intent of the creator.

 

[Deleted member 140]

Any pushing of an agenda can be considered propaganda

The very fact that people have a problem with others opting out of this shows you it is an important agenda for many, it should not have made news that some people want to remove assets from their copy of a game

If I want to remove this with third party tools that don't impact anybody else's experience, I should be allowed to

What "agenda" is being "pushed" by a very small number of flags that the majority of players won't even notice? That sounds like the worst "propaganda" effort in history.

The big bad is coming after you!

 

[Nym]

What "agenda" is being "pushed" by a very small number of flags that the majority of players won't even notice? That sounds like the worst "propaganda" effort in history.

The big bad is coming after you!

Would anyone care if I wanted to remove any other textures? Stop being obtuse.

 

[ethomaz]

Would anyone care if I wanted to remove any other textures? Stop being obtuse.

Are you replacing them with hateful speech or just replacing with some other texture?

BTW why you will upload a mod with hateful speech to Nexus if you are doing it just for you? Will you use your alt account for that?

 

[IntentionalPun]

Mod that doesn't impact anybody who doesn't opt in removed for political reasons, site owners prerogative obviously but I strongly disagree with that on principle.

People who own things can and should be allowed do what they want with them I agree. We've reached "make your own mod tools" nice

No, we reached "people should be allowed to" when you commented. What do you expect?

Nexusmods is not the authority on mods. There are other sites/tools/etc.

Your attitude basically says "well since NexusMods decided to create a mod hosting site, they have to host all user submitted mods."

Like what? They aren't allowed whatsoever to make rules? That's fucking ridiculous.

Hey, guess what.. "people should be allowed to" make a web site and determine the content on it.

 

[BigMclargeHuge]

It's their site, they can do whatever. If someone really wants the mod I'm sure they're are other sources ( not much of a pc gamer so I don't know any specifics).

 

[Nym]

Are you replacing them with hateful speech or just replacing with some other texture?

I don't care either way tbh