Robot Dogs for Surveillance and Policing: Overview and Policy Recommendations
Long a focus of dystopian science fiction lore, the development, deployment, and utilization of robotic dogs has recently entered the mainstream, with a number of U.S. law enforcement agencies purchasing the technology and announcing early phase deployment for the stated purpose of aiding and abetting municipal law enforcement efforts. Sold to the public as part of a broader effort to incorporate advanced technology into governance in order to safeguard citizens, the technology raises core concerns around the growing trend of deploying mobile cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) to surveil and control the public.
This memo details the historical background and development of robotic dog technology, as well as its stated use cases and utilization efforts to date, both domestically and internationally. It goes on to explore the ethical concerns posed by robotic dogs and the public’s opposition to this trend. This memo concludes with a number of policy recommendations to responsibly monitor and counteract expanded and potentially nefarious utilization of this technology by government and law enforcement.
