Police probe robot-assisted sexual assault on teen in Cologne
In Cologne, police are investigating a case where a 16-year-old girl was touched on the buttocks by a small robot operated by a 16-year-old owner and his 19-year-old companion.
Cologne police have opened an investigation after a 16-year-old girl reported that a robot roughly 1.2 metres tall made contact with her buttocks and performed thrusting movements outside a downtown fast-food restaurant. The robot was reportedly owned by a 16-year-old male, who was accompanied by a 19-year-old associate; both are accused of broadcasting the act live on social platforms. Responding officers confiscated the robot and the suspects' mobile devices.
The criminal investigation unit is now determining how the robot operated at the time and whether its motions were deliberately remote-controlled. The case is being pursued under the charge of a sexual-based insult.
Why it matters
The incident raises legal and ethical questions about the misuse of robotics for sexual harassment.
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