Bereaved families in South Korea have demanded that the makers of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 remove real footage of the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush from the video game, after players identified scenes from the disaster in its opening sequence. The game, released worldwide last week, opens with a montage of news reports about North Korea invading South Korea, including three seconds of real broadcast footage showing a paramedic performing CPR on a person lying in the street, bodies on the road, and a victim being carried away on a stretcher. The Itaewon disaster occurred on 29 October 2022, when a crowd surge in a narrow alley during Halloween celebrations led to 158 deaths, with two further deaths later linked to the incident. The 10.29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Council and the Citizens’ Countermeasures Meeting for the Itaewon Disaster issued a joint statement expressing shock at the use of the footage, stating that the chaotic scenes in which citizens performed CPR to save others were used without sensitivity. They highlighted that survivors and witnesses continue to suffer from trauma, and warned of online 'hateful comments' spreading in connection with the game. Cho In Young, co-director of the Joint Action for the October 29 Itaewon Disaster, criticized Activision for being 'insensitive to the anguish felt by the bereaved families' and failing to consider the dignity of victims. The Korea Game Users Association called for Activision to apologise and replace the footage, while cautioning against expanding the controversy into demands for censorship. Activision stated that the footage was included 'as an element to convey the fictional story within the work' and denied any intention of 'mentioning or treating lightly any actual tragic events'. The game has performed strongly since release, topping South Korea's Steam sales chart four days after launch. The controversy has drawn attention to the ethical considerations of using real-world disaster footage in entertainment media, particularly as the fourth anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy approaches.

Lucy Ness, 28, a woman who suffered a miscarriage, claims she was deceived by funeral director Robert Bush, who presented her with ashes purportedly of her stillborn baby, only for police to later reveal they were animal remains. The BBC reports that Bush, 48, is facing 67 charges including fraud and denying proper burials to 30 families. Ness, who had cherished the ashes for three years, was told by Humberside Police that the ashes could not belong to her baby, as records showed Bush collected them two days after delivering the urn. The case highlights concerns over funeral industry regulation, with Ness advocating for stricter oversight. Bush, arrested at Heathrow Airport, was not charged with denying Ness's baby a burial due to the fetus's age, but she insists all babies deserve recognition. The incident has sparked calls for industry reform, as Ness expresses hope that her baby's remains are with someone who cares. The case underscores the emotional and legal complexities surrounding funeral services and the need for accountability.

This case study considers the ethical issues that can arise when conducting participatory research with young people. It highlights the nuanced nature of participation preferences and the ethical...

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