Move over, pervert glasses – the latest toxic trend is robogroping
Whenever a new technology is created, it will, without exception, immediately be used to harass girls and women You may be familiar with rule 34 of the internet, which states that if something exists or can be imagined, there will almost certainly be online porn of it. Now let me introduce my rule 35: whenever a new technology is created, it will, without exception, immediately be used to harass…
As new technologies emerge, they are inevitably exploited to harass women and girls. This observation is encapsulated in Rule 35, which extends the well-known internet adage Rule 34.
A prominent example of this issue is Meta's "pervert glasses." Equipped with a camera and microphone, these smartglasses allowed users to surreptitiously record and harass women in public spaces. The footage subsequently found its way onto platforms like TikTok, causing distress for the women involved who only discovered the recording once their identities were publicly disclosed.
Meta's response to this problem has been inadequate, implementing only a few bans and making some privacy updates. Notably, Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg did not apologize to the women affected by his technology during the Meta Connect 2026 keynote.
Another concerning technology is the Flock license plate tracking system, which has been exploited by law enforcement officers to monitor the whereabouts of their ex-partners or other women they harbor sexual interest in.
A more recent development involves the use of AI image generators to create deepfake pornography featuring women and girls. According to a 2023 report, deepfake pornography comprises 98% of all such videos online, with 99% of the content depicting women.
A new and troubling trend on the horizon is livestreamed robogroping. In Cologne, Germany, police are investigating an incident where two teenage males, using a humanoid robot controlled by them, touched a 16-year-old girl's buttocks and made sexually suggestive gestures. The robot, clothed like a human and adorned with a fake mustache, was livestreamed online. The robot has now been seized by the local police, who admit they are unprepared to handle such incidents.
Although the price of AI-powered humanoid robots remains relatively high, they are becoming increasingly accessible. For instance, a New York school, after controversy, temporarily halted plans to deploy a humanoid robot named Sally as a teaching assistant. Bank of America predicts that, due to decreasing costs, mass adoption of humanoid robots will commence around 2035, with 3 billion units in circulation by 2060.
The rapid proliferation of such technologies raises concerns about their potential misuse and the lack of legal protections for those affected. For example, a woman in Philadelphia was recently arrested for obstructing a delivery robot, highlighting the growing acceptance of these machines.
As the robot industry expands, it is likely that corporations will prioritize profit over the well-being of individuals, potentially ensuring that their robots have more legal protections than the humans they may harm.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
