UK ASA Bans Call of Duty Ad for Trivializing Sexual Violence

The UK's Advertising Standards Authority has banned a live-action advertisement for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 after determining it trivialized sexual violence, following nine public complaints. The commercial, which aired on streaming platforms for ITV and Channel 5 in November, features actors portraying replacement security officers at an airport who subject a passenger to an exaggerated and invasive search.

In the 30-second spot, part of Activision's promotional campaign for the mature-rated video game, two characters played by Peter Stormare and comedian Nikki Glaser take over airport security duties while the real staff play the game. They inform a male passenger that he has been randomly selected for a pat-down. Stormare's character instructs the man to face the wall and remove all clothing except his shoes. Glaser's character then dons blue gloves and declares, "Time for the puppet show." The scene ends with the passenger biting down on a handheld metal detector as Stormare's character says, "Bite down on this; she's going in dry," implying a nonconsensual and humiliating procedure.

The authority received the complaints in early 2024, with viewers arguing the ad...