UK bans Call of Duty ad for trivializing sexual violence in intrusive airport search scene.

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority has banned a Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 ad for trivializing sexual violence, citing scenes of a fictional airport security search involving a man being forced to remove his clothes and endure a suggestive, invasive body scan with a metal detector in his mouth. The ad, which included phrases like “Time for the puppet show” and “Bite down on this, she’s going in dry,” drew nine complaints, with the ASA ruling the humor relied on non-consensual, humiliating acts associated with sexual violence. Despite Activision’s defense that the ad was for adults and cleared for broadcast during non-child-friendly hours, the ASA deemed it irresponsible and offensive, ordering it not to be shown again.