Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Robotics Researcher Starts Campaign To Ban Development of Sexbots

Posted by Soulskill on from the when-technology-gets-weird dept.

Earthquake Retrofit writes: A robotics ethicist from the UK's De Montfort University has started a campaign to ban the development and use of sex robots. "She believes that they reinforce traditional stereotypes of women and the view that a relationship need be nothing more than physical." The campaign was spurred by news that some companies claim to be fairly far along in development of such technology. One company even plans to start selling them later this year. The campaign's goals and concerns include "We propose that the development of sex robots will further reduce human empathy that can only be developed by an experience of mutual relationship," and, "We challenge the view that the development of adults and child sex robots will have a positive benefit to society, but instead further reinforce power relations of inequality and violence."

15 of 536 comments (clear)

  1. Bigotry Shmigotry by nospam007 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "She believes that they reinforce traditional stereotypes of women"

    Millions of gay men will hate you and your bigotry, because your arguments sucks more than a sex robot would do.

    1. Re:Bigotry Shmigotry by kaur · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Why does she believe the sexbots to be mostly feminine?
      Why only stereotypes of women need reinforcing?

      A female chauvinist pig she is!

    2. Re:Bigotry Shmigotry by monkeyzoo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Many states used to control and ban what a lot of adults could do in the privacy of their own homes with other consenting adult humans. Almost all those laws have been wiped clean, and now, in the name of progress, this researcher wants to control what I can or can't do with a machine?!? Will the prude and pious attempts of puritan fanatics to control our sexuality, outlaw harmless "perversion," and squelch sexual freedom never stop?!

    3. Re:Bigotry Shmigotry by Kjella · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Exactly. Compare sales of fleshlights to sales of vibrators / dildos. Women are far more likely currently to be buying machines for sexual purposes. Why would the sexbot market be any different?

      Because women are buying it as substitute for a cock, men as substitute for a relationship? If you look at something like escort service and prostitution it's massively dominated by male customers who pay for women to pretend to be their girlfriends/lovers or even dressing up RealDolls. Women use vibrators/dildos because they want want sex without the "baggage" of a boyfriend/one night stand, men want to play-pretend the exact opposite. Another clear clue should be that fleshlights try to mimic a human vagina, while there's a huge market for dildos and vibrators in all shapes and colors that have nothing to do with realism.

      In any case, she's wrong and it's a massive double standard at work here. Over the last 100 years there's been a massive movement to give women economic independence. Well tough shit, now we men want sexual independence and if I can get a sexbot to screw my brains out then we start a relationship more on equal footing. No, you don't need my money. No, I don't need your pussy. We can both do fine on our own, but maybe we have some mutual interest in having a relationship together because we want to. There's many men staying in poor relationships because they get pussy, ending those would do everyone good.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    4. Re:Bigotry Shmigotry by dablow · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This.....this is exactly it.

      It's all about power, right now, in the west at least, women have it.

      If you pay attention you will often notice that a lot of women seem to oppose any kind of sexual service offered to men. They are afraid that if men can get laid whenever they want, they will not want to settle or put up with the headaches that come with being in a relationship. Of course they they never admit that, instead of opting for causes such as fighting "human trafficking" and "protecting the children".

      And with the rise of sex robots on the horizon.......they are starting to get a little worried, because it renders their arguments against male sexual freedom moot.

      I will admit, that I myself have fallen "victim" to the power of the pussy, dating horrible women because simply they "put out".

    5. Re:Bigotry Shmigotry by dablow · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The big difference is, if you are an average looking guy, it's not easy to get laid when you want or get a gf when you want.

      The reverse (average looking woman) is not true; Even blandest plain looking average woman can get laid whenever she wants, will have a lineup of men waiting to take her out on dates (getting a decent bf is not as easy though).

      This is nothing more than a woman being terrified they will lose their sexual power over men.

      Imagine how the dating scene would change if men could get off (legally, cleanly and guilt free) whenever the had the urge, instead of having to date countless women and pretend to like them to get laid until the right one came along.....

  2. Predicable do-gooder medling. by Cafe+Alpha · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Every bit as doomed as banning porn. I'd be angry at her for trying, but since she'll accomplish precisely nothing, I think her failure will be a thoroughly satisfying punishment for the attempt.

  3. makes no sense to me by NostalgiaForInfinity · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "She believes that they reinforce traditional stereotypes of women and the view that a relationship need be nothing more than physical."

    How does choosing to have sex with a robot reinforce stereotypes about women or relationships with women?

    1. Re:makes no sense to me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Dildo's give hetrosexual women more options. That's empowering. Sexbots give hetero men more options. That's misogynistic.

  4. Why? Sexbots could be great! by aaaaaaargh! · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sexbots for women and men might be the ultimate chance to remedy one humanity's greatest source of conflicts, ranging from the Troian War over annoyingly crazy teenagers to sexually frustrated housewives. They could finally stop men from objectifying women for purely sexual purposes. The effects of this change could be more beneficial than the pill and the invention of the vibrator taken together. In an age in which in-vitro fertilization is easy, it would be crazy to take away this unique chance for the evolution of humanity.

  5. I offer conditional support by _merlin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'll support her movement as long as she also pushes to ban dildos, vibrators, clitoral stimulators, teledildonics, "fucking machines" and other female masturbation aids. No, I don't use masturbation aids, and I don't have a problem with female masturbation aids. I just have a problem with the horrific double standard. Feminists tell us that women who use masturbation aids are strong, independent and empowered, while at the same time claiming that men who use masturbation aids are disgusting perverts.

  6. So what's the alternative for geeks? by nukenerd · · Score: 4, Insightful
    She said

    human empathy that can only be developed by an experience of mutual relationship

    So what does she have to offer or suggest to those people (men particularly) who have no opportunity to develop such an experience? In the West at least, a significant proportion of women have rejected men entirely, possible after one fling and a child. Equal wages and opportunities for women, as well as social attitudes, mean that it is no longer "essential" for a woman to find a husband as it was as recently as two generations ago. There are too many men seeking for the number of women available.

  7. Rather by elgatozorbas · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "She believes that they reinforce traditional stereotypes of women"

    Sounds more like "women will lose the powerful tool of sex deprivation to control men".

    Not that anyone here will suffer from that a lot.

  8. Re:Likewise by Intrepid+imaginaut · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Again, very broadly speaking, this isn't something in the female mentality, or at least it has not been....

    The existence and popularity of dildos invalidates both your position and hers.

  9. Re:They get my Lucy Lu Bot... by Cederic · · Score: 4, Insightful

    But until AI really gets good, sexbots are only going to appeal to the tiny minority of men who are already using Real Dolls. No threat to society as a whole.

    Over half of the women in the UK already own a sexbot, I'm not sure AI is all that necessary.