ABSTRACT
This article delves into the power dynamics at play in human-robot interactions, using gaze theory and panopticism to argue that social robots exert a form of disciplinary power over humans. It challenges the notion of gaze as merely visual by highlighting the sensory and psychological dimensions of omnipresent surveillance that robots are capable of. Social robots, with their advanced sensory capabilities, can exert a form of disciplinary power over humans, leading to a power imbalance in the robot-human relationship. The EU’s regulatory approach to robotics is insufficient, focusing too narrowly on specific functionalities and not addressing the broader impacts of robots’ interactive presence in human environments. The author calls for a more comprehensive regulatory framework that recognises and addresses the complex power relationships inherent in our interactions with robots.
Lintvedt, Mona Naomi, Under the Robot’s Gaze (November 19, 2024), University of Oslo Faculty of Law Research Paper No 2024-12.
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