Orbit
I'm a planet
Sorry, didn't see the first one
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SF oks killer robots for cops
- Thread starter Orbit
- Start date
Sorry, didn't see the first one
One could argue they can easily do that now. Anything with a computer in it could be hacked and potentially used to kill someone. Hack their pacemaker, for instance. Hijack the computer in a car and have it shut off the steering as they round a corner on a mountain road, or any other James Bond sort of thing.
I was just taken back by how we leap from cops using robots to disarm bad guys, to political assassinations . People don't need robots to do that. Why not just leap to the robots being used to spy on you in your bedroom, or read your thoughts?
Maybe.
I work in IT...though I'm not suggesting that makes me any sort of expert on this. However, if we placed security cameras on every corner of the city, there would be some level of discussion on what footage is taken, how it's stored, etc.
And these are mobile cameras capable of both moving and looking into private property (something fixed cameras are not).
So again...it would be nice for us to think about the guidelines and parameters prior to implementing. This might very well be done, I just haven't found much evidence of it.
But, in simple terms, and in relation to your point on hacking.
If police robots are going to be provided with military grade firepower, they need to be provided with military grade cyber-security and countermeasures. Again, perhaps they are, but the way the process has been tweaked along the way (admittedly based on limited evidence) suggests there was a somewhat opportunistic addition of lethal capability.
It reminds me of the sudden procurement of cheap, military-grade firepower many American police forces undertook to 'upgrade' their officers equipment. Whilst in theory there is no downside to this...having better armoured vehicles or heavier calibre rifles doesn't change anything in and of itself...the militarization of policing leads to a force more divorced and ..I would argue...less capable of fulfilling community policing roles.
Just me. I'm wary of this stuff if it's not properly and transparently planned. I very strongly doubt (based on some level of experience) that police command is fully aware of what they're getting into here.
Full disclosure, we have at least one police bot operating over here, and it's been completely non-controversial as far as I know.
But the manufacturers of that robot (used by the bomb disposal team, but not actually a bomb diffusing robot) are strongly against arming it.
Spot the Robot Dog Has Been Weaponised
Orbit
I'm a planet
I see a false dichotomy in your question.
I figured. The problem is that when I want
to check for threads already existing, I can
no longer search for them.
Hey, staff....get that fixed !!!!
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Yep. The Democrats in San Francisco couldnt wait one bit to get their hands on their military grade toy. They passed that fast!
Welcome to the militarized police force. It isn't going away. The real clear wet dream of Democrats and even some Republicans as well.
Watch now that the green light is givin. What other militarized police will become down the road in a decade or so.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
The more the better. People need to see the intentions of government over citizens.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
The ACLU has condemned this, but clearly it's falling on deaf ears.
Federal Militarization of Law Enforcement Must End | News & Commentary | American Civil Liberties Union
We are on the cusp of Authoritarianism and many simply don't, or refuse to see what's slowly coming down the road.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Let's hope there will be no new versions of Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma Bombing once the police use more military platforms on American Citizens.
Altfish
Veteran Member
They'll be safer than many of the US cops
How so? Who's controlling them?
I would worry about hackers more than anything else. Imagine the chaos which would ensue if some group of hackers decides to start making mischief with these robots. Considering recent ransomware attacks and other major data leaks which have taken place, I'm not sure I have much confidence in law enforcement to adequately secure their systems.
"What could possibly go wrong?" -- Just about my favourite phrase in all of language!
"as long as" and "let's hope" -- the phrases most likely to ensure that something very well could "possibly go wrong."
The issue is...which will be more dangerous?
1) Cops as they currently behave.
2) Cops augmented by remotely controlled
armed bots. "Drones" is a better term.
I speculate that #2 offers potential to be safer
because cops not personally exposed to
dangerous situations will have less of that
militarized us-against-them fearful attitude.
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Perhaps, although my impression of cops' current behavior is not really due to a fearful attitude. The us-against-them attitude is a matter of the authorities in power having an extreme and constant need to assert their power over the powerless, lest anyone get any ideas about disrespecting or defying authority. They have to assert their authority and the authority of the state to the point of being overly aggressive at times. They apparently subscribe to the philosophy that if they allow even the pettiest of violations or any defiance or back talk from the common people, then it will lead to total anarchy. It's that mentality which seems to drive them the most.
I don't see how robots would change that attitude. It would probably make it even worse.
In a potentially violent encounter, a cop at
a remote control console wouldn't have any
fear of danger. It's also unlikely that the
person posing the threat would make it
personal with a robot, so that the cop
operating it wouldn't take it so personally.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber
Can you explain how you see this making things better?
See post #37 in this thread.
And my post in the other thread.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber
What we've seen from drone operators I doubt this very much. Rather I do see a potential for the cops to feel emboldened and embiggened because they have nothing to fear.