The tragedy of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas at Robb Elementary School quickly became global news when it happened back in 2022, and now two years later parents who lost their children that day are suing Call Of Duty publisher Activision.
They’re also suing the makers of the weapon the shooter used, and Meta, with representative Josh Koskoff for the Uvalde parents saying “There is a direct line between the conduct of these companies and the Uvalde shooting. This three-headed monster knowingly exposed him to the weapon, conditioned him to see it as a tool to solve his problems and trained him to use it.”
Claims that video games incite violence are nothing new, and have been around for years without any foundational proof to the claims. “We are saddened and outraged by senseless acts of violence,” said the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).
“At the same time, we discourage baseless accusations linking these tragedies to video gameplay, which detract from efforts to focus on the root issues in question and safeguard against future tragedies.”
The suit claims that the Uvalde shooter had played Call Of Duty games for years, and even one that included the exact rifle he would use in the shooting.
Activision said the shooting was “horrendous and heartbreaking in every way, and we express our deepest sympathies to the families and communities who remain impacted by this senseless act of violence.” It then went on to point out what is regularly brought up in the conversation of whether or not video games incite violence, that “millions of people around the world enjoy video games without turning to horrific acts.”
There’s never been much traction gained by anyone trying to claim that video games cause violence, and the ESA is right to point out there’s a deeper root cause to go after than video games.
Source – [Associated Press]