Are shooting games like Call of Duty creating responsible for mass shootings?

[AgnosticBoy]

A few years ago, a group of elementary kids were murdered by a mass shooter in Uvalde, Texas. Now a group of families have filed a lawsuit against Meta, Activision (company that develops Call of Duty games), and Daniel's Defense (a company manufacturing AR 15 weapon).

Families of the Uvalde victims have filed a lawsuit against Daniel Defense, the makers of the AR-15 assault rifle, and Activision, the publisher of the first-person shooter video game series "Call of Duty," and Meta, the parent company of Instagram, over what they claim was their role in promoting the gun used in the shooting.

The suit alleges the companies partnered to market the weapon to underage boys in the games and on social media.

Salvador Ramos -- the 18-year-old shooter who killed 19 students and two teachers and wounded 17 others -- purchased the DDM4V7 rifle a week before the shooting, months after he began playing a version of the game and made several Instagram posts about weapons, Josh Koskoff, the attorney representing the families, alleged.

The suit contends the "Call of Duty" franchise contains realistic depictions of gun violence where "the weapons are authentic"

"They are designed to perfectly imitate their real-life counterparts in look, feel, recoil and accuracy," the suit contends.

The attorneys added, "With Instagram's blessing and assistance, purveyors of assault weapons can inundate teens with content that exalts lone gunmen, exploits tropes of sex and hypermasculinity and directs them where to buy their Call of Duty-tested weapon of choice."

Source: ABC News

For Debate:
1. Are shooting games responsible for mass shootings? Do these games create or turn people into mass shooters in any way?
2. If so, what is the solution? Ban all games that have guns involved?

 

[AgnosticBoy]

1. Are shooting games responsible for mass shootings? Do these games create or turn people into mass shooters in any way?

There was a good point made in the article I quoted in the OP:
"Activision said in a statement to the New York Times that that “we express our deepest sympathies to the families” in Uvalde, but added that “millions of people around the world enjoy video games without turning to horrific acts.”"
Source: ABC News

I think that's a very good point. I play Call of Duty, and not once have I mistaken it for reality. I play knowing that it's a game, and that whatever I do in the game is not a guide for morality or anything in the real world for that matter.

From what I've read about the shooter, he was bullied, had problems feeling empathy for others (sociopath??), suicidal, and at least one picture appears to show him with lipstick or lip gloss (possibly a gender identity issue?). He had no criminal history and no official mental health diagnosis but I think clearly this young shooter had mental problems. Perhaps when you mix that in with shooter video games then some might feed off of that in a bad way. But then again, what of the mass shooters that have not played video games? I doubt anyone would also blame violent movies on all of the occurrences of murder. But rather the video games and movies are oftentimes reflections of what's already going on in the real world.

2. If so, what is the solution? Ban all games that have guns involved?

No ban on video games although I will say that kids playing these games should be mature enough to know the difference between video game world and the real world. If not, and especially if they suffer from mental health, then I'd be for temporarily banning these types from violent video games.

 

[Pancho144]

1. Are shooting games responsible for mass shootings? Do these games create or turn people into mass shooters in any way?

There was a good point made in the article I quoted in the OP:
"Activision said in a statement to the New York Times that that “we express our deepest sympathies to the families” in Uvalde, but added that “millions of people around the world enjoy video games without turning to horrific acts.”"
Source: ABC News

I think that's a very good point. I play Call of Duty, and not once have I mistaken it for reality. I play knowing that it's a game, and that whatever I do in the game is not a guide for morality or anything in the real world for that matter.

From what I've read about the shooter, he was bullied, had problems feeling empathy for others (sociopath??), suicidal, and at least one picture appears to show him with lipstick or lip gloss (possibly a gender identity issue?). He had no criminal history and no official mental health diagnosis but I think clearly this young shooter had mental problems. Perhaps when you mix that in with shooter video games then some might feed off of that in a bad way. But then again, what of the mass shooters that have not played video games? I doubt anyone would also blame violent movies on all of the occurrences of murder. But rather the video games and movies are oftentimes reflections of what's already going on in the real world.

2. If so, what is the solution? Ban all games that have guns involved?

No ban on video games although I will say that kids playing these games should be mature enough to know the difference between video game world and the real world. If not, and especially if they suffer from mental health, then I'd be for temporarily banning these types from violent video games.

Human behavior derives from only two stimuli, internal and external. Internal S is innate, while ex S is all learned. The Judicial opinion of 21 years of age dictates that we are from that point on culpable for all responses, legal and otherwise. However, that does not suggest our cerebral cortex has automatically matured to rational analytical thought. Indeed, many of us never obtain a level of thinking congruent to being a responsible adult. Just look around at your own family, examine their life decisions.
In view of that, when an immature bilateral brain mass is exposed to repeatedly negative sensate impressions certain behaviors are bound to be imprinted. Psycho Wards are full of internal S impulse patients while Incarceration facilities are overcrowded with external S impulse felons.