Gun Control Groups Target Video Games

With actual gun control having gone down the tubes on April 17, gun control groups are now pursuing virtual success by pressuring video game makers to cut ties with firearms manufacturers.

Lead by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (MDAGSA) and the Gun Truth Project, these efforts are aimed at ending licensing agreements between video game makers and the companies that make the firearms they depict.

Speaking to the Huffington Post, MDAGSA founder Shannon Watts said: “We are outraged that video game companies and gun manufacturers are entering into deals to market guns to our children, particularly given the real-life epidemic of gun violence in America.”

MDAGSA and the Gun Truth Project plan to release a 10-page study criticizing the relationship between game makers and firearm manufacturers. And they are expected to have an advocate in Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who has been calling for a tougher look at the relationship between video games and gun violence since the heinous crime at Sandy Hook Elementary took place. 

Defenders of the gaming industry make the point that licensing agreements between game makers and gun manufacturers are an aspect of capitalism not unlike licensing agreements to depict Coca Cola or Pepsi products. Brands–be they Sony, Ford, or Glock–have trademarks that have to be honored, and licensing agreements allow that to happen. 

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins