Axon Enterprise controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2023
Proposed antitrust class action by U.S. cities
Three U.S. cities filed a proposed class action alleging that Axon used market power and anticompetitive conduct to impose inflated body-camera prices on municipalities.
2022
Institutional review board rejects TASER-drone proposal
Axon's institutional review board issued a unanimous statement of concern about a proposal to deploy TASER-equipped drones in schools to respond to active shooters. Nine board members subsequently resigned.
2020
FTC challenge to the VieVu acquisition
The Federal Trade Commission alleged that Axon's purchase of VieVu could reduce competition in an already concentrated body-camera market. The FTC withdrew the complaint in 2023.
2020
Axon sues FTC over acquisition review process
Lawsuit filed
Axon Enterprise filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, alleging that the Commission's acquisition-review process was unconstitutional. The FTC had been investigating Axon's 2018 acquisition of Vievu for possible anticompetitive concerns. The dispute centered on the agency's review of the acquisition and Axon's challenge to the constitutionality of that process.
Axon filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, alleging that the Commission's acquisition-review process was unconstitutional. The FTC had been investigating Axon's 2018 acquisition of Vievu for possible anticompetitive concerns.
Source excerpt
The FTC has been investigating Axon’s 2018 acquisition of rival body camera maker Vievu for possible anti-competitive concerns.
Axon has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, in which the company alleges that the Commission is operating an unconstitutional acquisition review process.
The FTC began investigating the acquisition in June 2018, and filed an administrative complaint on January 3, 2020, alleging that Axon’s acquisition of VieVu eliminated competition and entrenched Axon’s dominant position in the police body camera market.
2017
Evidence.com data-rights concerns
A California criminal-defense lawyer criticized language in Evidence.com terms of service that appeared to grant Axon broad rights to use uploaded photographs and videos. The criticism focused on privacy, data ownership, and material involving juveniles.
2015
Employees review-bomb a critical documentary
Several TASER International employees were reported to have posted negative reviews of the documentary Killing Them Safely on online retail and media platforms. The incident raised concerns about corporate influence on public discussion of TASER-related deaths and controversies.
2008
Reported fail-safe problem in older X26 devices
CBC News reported that some TASER X26 models manufactured before 2005 had a faulty fail-safe system. The report contributed to questions about product reliability and the adequacy of safeguards on conducted-energy weapons.
2007
Robert Dziekański death after repeated TASER use
Robert Dziekański died at Vancouver International Airport after being shocked multiple times by Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers. Subsequent Canadian inquiries and the British Columbia Coroners Service examined the justification and medical consequences of the use of the device, intensifying scrutiny of TASER practices.