Robotic society: Privacy as a legal and technological issue

Abstract

In this paper we analyze the issues surrounding the European Proposal for General Data Protection Regulation and the adaptation of law to the technical capabilities that have an impact on privacy. We start by analyzing the new capabilities of robotic machines and the involvement of new stakeholders as engineers, designers and manufacturers. Then we present the challenges of M2M relationships and the risks of being detected through devices. Next, we discuss the need to incorporate some concepts such as ‘pseudonym”, anonymous processing and legal profiling. We also argue that law needs technical standards and we foresee that engineers, designers and manufacturers will not have a neutral role. Future regulation should ensure some guidelines for privacy safe robots, and guarantee privacy and freedom in a technological world.