Activision and Meta have been sued over the alleged marketing of assault weapons to minors, according to a new report.
New York Times reports that families of the Uvalde school shooting in the US victims have filed multiple lawsuits against Activision Meta, and Daniel Defense. They claim that all three companies collaborated in marketing the aforementioned gun to minors both over social media as well as within Call of Duty titles.
The lawsuits recognize the Call of Duty franchise as the most prolific and effective marketer of assault weapons in the US. It alleges that the Meta-owned social media platform Instagram, Call of Duty publisher Activision, and semiautomatic rifle manufacturer Daniel Defense contributed to training and equipping the teenage shooter responsible for the massacre.
These lawsuits were filed on the second anniversary of the tragic event, which resulted in the deaths of 19 fourth-graders and two teachers at the hands of an 18-year-old gunman, who had legally purchased an AR-15-style rifle just days prior. Although the flawed police response has been a major focus post-incident, these lawsuits, filed in California and Texas, center on the shooter and the companies he engaged with before the attack.
The suits claim that each company played a role in “grooming” the teenager into becoming a mass shooter. Furthermore, they allege that the gun manufacturer, Daniel Defense, would not have been able to influence the socially isolated teenager in rural Texas without the involvement of social media platforms and video game companies. Although the flawed police response has been a major highlight post-incident, these lawsuits focus on the shooter and his activities before the attack.
In response, an Activision spokeswoman expressed deep sympathy for the Uvalde families but emphasized that millions enjoy video games without committing violent acts. As of writing, the other companies have yet to comment.
