Call of Duty Described as 'The Most Prolific and Effective Marketer of Assault Weapons in the United States.' Activision Faces Lawsuit
The families of victims who died in a school shooting in Texas have sued Activision and Meta for their role in promoting the weapons that were used in the tragic events.
On May 24, 2022, one of the most tragic shootings in the United States took place. That day, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos broke into an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and shot 21 people, injuring 17 others. The families of the victims have filed lawsuits against Activision and Meta, alleging that both companies played a role in the tragedy, bringing attention to the event once more after two years.
According to documents filed with a Californian court (via the New York Times), American corporations were to join forces with weapons manufacturers to reach young, vulnerable people. Prosecutors argue that by including real weapons in its games, Activision is "the most prolific and effective marketer of assault weapons in the United States."
The families mentioned in their lawsuit that the rifle used by Salvador Ramos during the massacre was a Daniel Defense M4 V7, which is the same firearm featured in Call of Duty. This was supposed to persuade the young man to purchase this particular model.
Within a week of downloading Modern Warfare on Nov. 5, 2021, the shooter's phone indicates a growing obsession with weapons and accessories associated with the game, explained the victims' lawyer, Josh Koskoff (via IGN).
The families of the victims are also directing accusations towards Instagram, which belongs to the Meta group. According to their representative, the social networking platform established a "connection" between Ramos and the weapons manufacturer.
If Instagram can prevent people from posting pictures of their private parts, they can prevent people from posting pictures of an AR-15 [rifle]. And of course, Instagram doesn't care. They don't care. All they care about is driving traffic and generating attention, drawing attention and getting their ad revenue, Koskoff argued in an interview with CBS News.
Representatives of Activision have spoken out on the matter, expressing deep sympathy for the families affected by the massacre in a released statement. At the same time, the company noted that "millions of people around the world enjoy video games without turning to horrific acts."
