In 2005, Congress passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). The law protects gun manufacturers and dealers from being held liable when crimes have been committed with their products. The law was passed in response to a series of lawsuits filed against the gun industry in the late 1990s which claimed gun-makers and sellers were not doing enough to prevent crimes committed with their products. Proponents of the law argue that lawsuits will discourage gun manufacturers from supplying stores who sell guns that end up being used in violent crimes. Opponents argue that gun manufacturers are not responsible for random acts of violence committed with their products.
24% Yes |
76% No |
19% Yes |
66% No |
2% Yes, any business should be held liable if the primary use of its product is for illegal activity |
9% No, manufacturers and dealers should only be held liable for negligence |
2% Yes, as long as the losing party pays all legal fees, it’s our constitutional right to sue anyone for any reason |
|
1% Yes, but only dealers |
See how support for each position on “Gun Liability” has changed over time for 3.6m America voters.
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See how importance of “Gun Liability” has changed over time for 3.6m America voters.
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Unique answers from America users whose views extended beyond the provided choices.
@8MQHHXY4yrs4Y
I think that the people who make the guns should not be responsible unless if their products cause a huge number of problems worldwide.
@8LYHYV44yrs4Y
Depending on if the firearm user is the one being injured, say you purchased a faulty firearm and attempted to fire it and it backfires on you, hurting your arm, then you should be able to fault the manufacturer or dealer, but only in that scenario.
@8QPRM643yrs3Y
@3WZMZGC4yrs4Y
Absolutely not. This is asinine and comparable to suing a hammer maker because you smashed your thumb. Even if someone smashed someone elses thumb, on purpose. It is not the fault of the tool maker. It is the responsibility of each person to handle those tools appropriately. Decisions come with consequences. Use a tool for harm, and that person should deal with those consequences, not a company who made it.
Firearms dealers should only be dealt with legally if they sold someone a gun without going through the proper process.
@8MN8DQ94yrs4Y
No, unless they had a true influence over the violence.
@97SCG641yr1Y
For crimes involving assault rifles only
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