RoboCode-Ethicists

Abstract

This contribution addresses the privacy implications of robots. Two aspects are of fundamental concern in this context: the pervasiveness and intrusiveness of robots on the one hand and a general lack of awareness and knowledge about how robots work, collect and process sensitive data on the other hand.The existing literature on robot ethics provides a suitable framework to address these two issues. In particular, robot ethics are useful to point out how engineers' and regulators' mindset towards privacy protection differs. Different, at first sight incommensurable, rationalities exist between the two when it comes to robotic privacy. As a contribution to the emerging field of robotic privacy, we propose an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach that bridges the two rationalities. This approach considers the role of code as the central governing element of robots. RoboCode-Ethicists, trans-disciplinary experts trained in the technical/computational, legal and social aspects of robotics, should lead the way in the discussion on robotic privacy. They could mediate between different stakeholders and address emerging privacy issues as early as possible.