Live data from Hacker News

Don’t Let Police Arm Autonomous or Remote-Controlled Robots and Drones

eff.org

11–20 of 145 posts

Re: Don’t Let Police Arm Autonomous or Remote-Controlled Robots and Drones

#11

Unfortunately the cake is already in the oven in this. There will almost certainly be major changes to civil liberties coming as a result of the “capital insurrection”. If you want to fight against police overreach, you kindof have to fight against it even when it comes for your enemies.

You guys are way too late.

The police already have armed robots. Have already used them to kill. And police overreach is already a thing.

All of it happened decades before the capitol insurrection. I'm surprised so many seem unaware of this.

Re: Don’t Let Police Arm Autonomous or Remote-Controlled Robots and Drones

#12

I’m less worried about the police doing this than I am rogue nation, groups, and individuals. It’s only a matter of time until Hamas launches an armed, low flying, autonomous drone swarm in the heart of Tel Aviv. The book “Kill Decision” by Daniel Suarez convinced me that we have less to fear from government and more to fear from private actors when it comes to lethal drones. Actually, I’m really surprised it hasn’t…

"I'm less worried about the police doing this than I am rogue nation, groups, and individuals."

Governments have killed exponentially more of their own people throughout history in genocides, pogroms, civil wars, starvations, and so on than have ever been killed by rogue nations, non-government groups or individuals.

Re: Don’t Let Police Arm Autonomous or Remote-Controlled Robots and Drones

#13

We shouldn't allow anyone to do this, not just the police. Although it already happens, and the American military already does this internationally. Drone attacks flourished under Obama's administration basically, look up the incident around 2013 when US military drone fired at a wedding convoy in Yemen and killed 10+ people.

Drone attacks increased with every president. The one after Obama also set his own record and even tried to hide them from reports.

Re: Don’t Let Police Arm Autonomous or Remote-Controlled Robots and Drones

#14

They're about 30 years too late on this one. Police and the FBI have been using EOD robots with shotguns for a long time now and have even killed a few people with them. In a hostage situation or standoff, they'll send in the robot with food or a phone hanging from the arm, which has a Remington semi-automatic shotgun attached to the base. Ruby Ridge is one of the more famous examples.

If you're referring to the 1991 Idaho - Ruby Ridge then no, robotics were not deployed.

Re: Don’t Let Police Arm Autonomous or Remote-Controlled Robots and Drones

#15

I’m less worried about the police doing this than I am rogue nation, groups, and individuals. It’s only a matter of time until Hamas launches an armed, low flying, autonomous drone swarm in the heart of Tel Aviv. The book “Kill Decision” by Daniel Suarez convinced me that we have less to fear from government and more to fear from private actors when it comes to lethal drones. Actually, I’m really surprised it hasn’t…

I always thought targeted assassination will be the primary use of autonomous weapons. And since I don't really see any obvious means of authoritative attribution, I'm not really sure how you would stop it? I think it will be ultra popular. Not only with cartels looking to rid themselves of annoyances in Mexico. Also with people looking to remove any mayor they don't like, or any police chief they don't like, or, more commonly, any boss they don't like, or even any neighbor they don't like. Most people in society would be almost a free target. Combine that with the fact that most people would have access to this tech and I could see tit-for-tat killings going on all over the place.

I'm really interested in seeing what law enforcement and military thinkers are working on to solve this problem. It really will be fascinating to watch this space, because I could see it getting out of hand on a time scale shorter than we'd at first anticipate.

Re: Don’t Let Police Arm Autonomous or Remote-Controlled Robots and Drones

#16

I’m less worried about the police doing this than I am rogue nation, groups, and individuals. It’s only a matter of time until Hamas launches an armed, low flying, autonomous drone swarm in the heart of Tel Aviv. The book “Kill Decision” by Daniel Suarez convinced me that we have less to fear from government and more to fear from private actors when it comes to lethal drones. Actually, I’m really surprised it hasn’t…

YOU may not be, but if I, or my loved ones lived in a high-patrol area known for police brutality, I certainly would be worried.

Re: Don’t Let Police Arm Autonomous or Remote-Controlled Robots and Drones

#17

They're about 30 years too late on this one. Police and the FBI have been using EOD robots with shotguns for a long time now and have even killed a few people with them. In a hostage situation or standoff, they'll send in the robot with food or a phone hanging from the arm, which has a Remington semi-automatic shotgun attached to the base. Ruby Ridge is one of the more famous examples.

If you're referring to the 1991 Idaho - Ruby Ridge then no, robotics were not deployed.

Weaver's testimony to Congress:

"Come out and get the telephone, and later on I got a chance to look at that robot sitting out there, and it had a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun on the side of it, bolted to it, aimed aright at the telephone, which later they said was empty. I do not believe that. I will never believe that. If they want to negotiate with you and they honestly want you to come out and pick up a telephone, they are not going to have a shotgun there, because they know if I see that I am not going to come out after that telephone. They was hoping I did not see it, and the way it was aimed at the house, I did not see it the first time I looked at it. The second time I looked at it, I saw the hole of that barrel pointing up, and I got to looking better, and I said, holy cow, that is a sawed-off shotgun pointed at the tele­phone. I did not see it the first time."

Re: Don’t Let Police Arm Autonomous or Remote-Controlled Robots and Drones

#18

I’m less worried about the police doing this than I am rogue nation, groups, and individuals. It’s only a matter of time until Hamas launches an armed, low flying, autonomous drone swarm in the heart of Tel Aviv. The book “Kill Decision” by Daniel Suarez convinced me that we have less to fear from government and more to fear from private actors when it comes to lethal drones. Actually, I’m really surprised it hasn’t…

Drones should be much easier to intercept than rocket / artillery shell attacks which have become significantly less effective. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Dome

Re: Don’t Let Police Arm Autonomous or Remote-Controlled Robots and Drones

#19

Sorry to be a downer but it will happen if it hasn't already, and the biggest reason is cost savings which is pretty hard to argue against when the budget is up for discussion at the local gov. Having drones patrol large areas, running plates and face-matching against a warrant database is much quicker and cheaper than having people doing it. They're also cheaper than helicopters to follow fleeing suspects, and a bit…

> Having drones patrol large areas, running plates and face-matching against a warrant database is much quicker and cheaper than having people doing it.

Why would it be cheaper than metal poles with cameras attached to them? Surely stationary devices will be cheaper and safer.

Re: Don’t Let Police Arm Autonomous or Remote-Controlled Robots and Drones

#20

They're about 30 years too late on this one. Police and the FBI have been using EOD robots with shotguns for a long time now and have even killed a few people with them. In a hostage situation or standoff, they'll send in the robot with food or a phone hanging from the arm, which has a Remington semi-automatic shotgun attached to the base. Ruby Ridge is one of the more famous examples.

The guy in Texas was the first IIRC killed with an explosive. https://www.cnet.com/news/dallas-shooter-killed-by-bomb-equi...
Post reply on HN