Researchers dwell on the legality of Sex Robots after their rise in the society

As Howard Stark used to say “Everything is achievable through technology!” We are standing on the verge of an age where technology will allow us to control birth, sex, and death. Technology is going to improve our sex lives and relationship by introducing sex robots sooner or later. For those who don’t know, these hyper-realistic sex robots are programmed to mimic basic emotions and performed sexual acts with humans.

According to Phys.org, at the moment, sex bots are here to stay but there is not much research to know if the use of sex robots is a good or a bad idea for individuals or society as a whole. However, there is a conflict between people regarding the use of sex robots.

Some say that these are the next step in evolution. But many experts fear that the lack of guidelines and regulations can lead to some alarming consequences. According to two law experts, sexbots are becoming increasingly sophisticated and realistic so formal rules and laws regarding their use are the requirements of the time.

Madi McCarthy, who studied law at Flinders University in Australia and is now a partner at the LK law firm says:

“Legislators will have to balance competing and complex individual and public interests which pose new ethical, regulatory and legal challenges because of advancements in technology.”

However many questions about the sexbots such as sex, relationships, and how to deal with the Artifical Intelligence creations we create are already explored in the sci-fi films like Her and Ex Machina. And it is believed that very shortly we will set up the limits for their use.

Studies that favors the use of Sex Robots

According to some researchers, sex robots are helpful for those who suffer from certain circumstances such as physical disability, mental health problems. For those who are unsure about their sexual orientation sexbots provide a safe environment. They can reduce pressure on prostitution and sex.

A study that looked at therapists’ and doctors’ attitudes toward sexbots give the three main reasons why to use sexbots. The study says that sex robots or bots help people who suffer from social anxiety or sex-related anxieties, people who do not have a partner and still want a sex life without resorting to fleeting acquaintances or procrastination, and premature ejaculation.

Possibilities that are against the use of Sex Robots

People which are against the use of sexbots argue that these type of robots objectify women and promotes sex that is free from emotions increases the risk of sexual violence. Some robots can be even programmed to “blink, smile, and moan,” or to imitate the act of denying consent which is a worrying step as it may lead to illegal acts.

And as technology is constantly evolving it’s difficult to understand the positive and negative effects on people and society and we need further research to understand it better.

We need to understand what damage these sex robots can cause to relationships and based on that lawmakers and researchers need to act quickly to arrive at a scientific consensus to make laws on that.

McCarthy and Flinders University Dean of law Tania Leiman concluded in their recent article published in The Bulletin: The Law Society of SA Journal,

“Sexbots challenge existing conceptions of how humans interact with emerging technologies and they do so in the most intimate way. Any regulatory response must take into account a wide range of interests, ethical issues, and legal challenges.

The very real potential of this technology to objectify and promote sexual violence against women suggests that we must act as soon as possible.”