The cuter the robot, the bigger the security risk?


If you're going to have a robot help you with your day-to-day life, it might as well be a cute robot, right?
The idea sounds nice in theory, but the BBC suggests that cute robots may actually be more dangerous. The robots' endearing big eyes could cause people to trust them with confidential information, like passwords, that could be stored in the cloud.
Robots are being tested to help preschool children in their studies, to help autistic people learn to socialize, and to help the elderly as companion "pets," the BBC reports. But the "big-eyed, cute design can distract from the motors and computer chips involved." Many of the robots being tested have microphones, cameras, and sensors, so if their data got into the wrong hands, it could be extremely dangerous. The large eyes and even fur on some robots will "appeal to deep-seated human emotions," the BBC notes, which could pose a security risk:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
While it may be some time before social robots become widespread in areas such as care for elderly and young people, the impact of technical and ethical choices made by today's designers will set standards for decades to come... One new design has a space at the front of its head, which allows a real human face of your choice to be projected on to it. Then there are robotic seals and baby dinosaurs, which are bound to bring out the nurturing instinct in us. [BBC News]
So if you do opt for a super-cute robotic assistant in the future, just make sure you understand its security measures, too.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
What's wrong with America's air traffic control systems?
Today's Big Question The radios and radar keep going out at Newark International
-
8 splashy items to elevate any pool party
The Week Recommends Fire up the snow cone machine, and turn on that outdoor movie projector
-
What to know as student loan collections resume
the explainer The restart comes as part of the Trump administration's reversal of Biden-era policies
-
Secret AI experiment on Reddit accused of ethical violations
In the Spotlight Critics say the researchers flouted experimental ethics
-
Amazon launches 1st Kuiper internet satellites
Speed Read The battle of billionaires continues in space
-
Test flight of orbital rocket from Europe explodes
Speed Read Isar Aerospace conducted the first test flight of the Spectrum orbital rocket, which crashed after takeoff
-
Space-age living: The race for robot servants
Feature Meta and Apple compete to bring humanoid robots to market
-
Apple pledges $500B in US spending over 4 years
Speed Read This is a win for Trump, who has pushed to move manufacturing back to the US
-
Microsoft unveils quantum computing breakthrough
Speed Read Researchers say this advance could lead to faster and more powerful computers
-
TikTok's fate uncertain as weekend deadline looms
Speed Read The popular app is set to be banned in the U.S. starting Sunday
-
Appeals court kills FCC net neutrality rule
Speed Read A U.S. appeals court blocked Biden's effort to restore net-neutrality rules