RoboCode-Ethicists: Privacy-friendly robots, an ethical responsibility of engineers?

Abstract

This article asks why engineers building robots should consider privacy aspects when programming their gadgets. We start with a definition of robots, differentiating active, social robots from passive, non-social robots. We then discuss the related literature on the privacy implications of social 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. We explain how 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. The paper argues that different -- at first sight incommensurable -- rationalities exist 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 -- mainly regulators, users and engineers -- and address emerging privacy issues as early as possible.