On the second anniversary of the tragic 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, the families of the victims have filed lawsuits against Instagram, gun maker Daniel Defense, and video game publisher Activision. The suits claim these entities “groomed” the 18-year-old shooter, according to a report from The New York Times.
The lawsuits, filed in both California and Texas, argue that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare prominently featured the Daniel Defense M4 V7 rifle, the same model used by the shooter. The families allege that playing the game influenced the shooter to purchase the gun immediately after his 18th birthday. The complaint accuses Activision of being “the most prolific and effective marketer of assault weapons in the United States” due to its realistic simulation of recognizable guns.
An Activision representative expressed deep sympathy for the families but disagreed with the claim that the game motivated the shooter, noting that millions play video games without committing violent acts. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) also dismissed the accusations as baseless, emphasizing that linking video games to real-life violence detracts from addressing root issues and safeguarding against future tragedies.
In 2023, it was revealed that Activision had a secret deal with Remington to feature their Adaptive Combat Rifle in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009), the same gun used in the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. Remington settled with the families for $73 million in 2022, though Activision was not sued in that case.
Efforts to hold video game makers legally responsible for mass shootings have been unsuccessful, with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2011 that video games are protected by the First Amendment. This lawsuit represents a new approach by targeting the marketing of weapons within the games.
The families have also accused Meta’s Instagram and Daniel Defense of reckless marketing practices.
