The tragedy of the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, attracted worldwide attention in 2022. Now, two years later, the parents of the victims are suing the Call of Duty manufacturer Activision. The lawsuit is also directed against the weapons manufacturer and Meta.
Josh Koskoff, the parents’ representative, stated: “There is a direct link between the behavior of these companies and the massacre in Uvalde.” He added: “This three-headed monster deliberately exposed him to the gun, conditioned him to see it as a solution to a problem, and trained him to use it. “
Accusations that video games promote violence are not new, but have never been proven. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) commented: “We are saddened and outraged by senseless acts of violence. At the same time, we reject unfounded accusations linking these tragedies to video games. “
The lawsuit alleges the perpetrator had been playingCall of Dutyfor years, including a game with the very gun he used. Activision called the massacre “horrific and heartbreaking” and expressed its deepest sympathies for the families and communities affected. The company emphasized that millions of people around the world enjoy video games without resorting to violence.
Activision: Complaint and reactions
The families of Uvalde are also suing Meta and the manufacturer of the murder weapon. This happened on the second anniversary of the Robb Elementary School attack. The gunman killed 19 students and two teachers. The police did not confront the perpetrator for over an hour.
That same day, several families filed a $500 million lawsuit against Texas police. Over 370 officers responded to the 911 call, but waited over an hour before confronting the perpetrator. The new lawsuit alleges that the perpetrator had been playing Call of Duty since he was 15 years old. The families accuse Instagram of failing to enforce its rules banning the marketing of weapons and harmful content to children.
The amount of compensation sought in the new lawsuits has not been disclosed. The offender opened an online account with Daniel Defense before his 18th birthday and purchased the gun as soon as he could.
The Uvalde families’ lawsuit against Activision, Meta and gun manufacturer Daniel Defense once again raises the question of the extent to which companies bear responsibility for the impact of their products. While the plaintiffs argue that there is a direct link between the actions of these companies and the tragedy, both Activision and theEntertainment Software Associationemphasize the lack of scientific basis for a link between video games and real-life violence.
These legal battles highlight the ongoing societal debates about the causes of violence and the role of media and technology. Regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit, there remains a need to address the underlying causes of such tragedies and take effective measures to prevent them.
