Myrthe van Nus, University of Twente, NL

This paper aims to show why it is important to stimulate thinking on privacy and ownership of data in the context of social robots. Interactive applications on computers that collect and share personal data and information have been with us for a while now. But, the rise of social robotics adds a new dimension to the collecting and sharing of personal data and information. In this paper I argue that – in the case of social robotics – the privacy of its users is increasingly at stake. In order to prove this, the paper connects a concept of privacy with examples from social robotics, showing not only the more general risks of hacking but also the privacy risk characteristic to social robots. After this, the question is raised how to protect ourselves against these risks: what to do, for instance, when one’s social robot has been hacked? Therefore the paper explores possibilities and problems within the legal area as well as some (philosophical) suggestions and directions for further thinking on data ownership.