Berlin — German police seized a humanoid robot after allegedly touching a 16-year-old girl in an indecent manner and making sexually suggestive gestures to her. Investigators were trying to determine Wednesday whether the robot’s actions were deliberately controlled by two young men who apparently livestreamed the incident in the western city of Cologne on social media.
The unusual incident occurred shortly before midnight on October 10 near a fast-food restaurant in a busy nightlife area of Cologne, according to a police statement released Monday.
Videos shared online appear to show the teenager standing with two friends, aged 17 and 18, when a red and gold robot in sports gear, approximately 4 feet tall, approaches her from behind. According to the police, and as the videos seem to show, the robot touches the buttocks of the 16-year-old girl and repeatedly makes pushing movements towards her.
Handout/Cologne Police 
The owner of the robot, a 16-year-old man, and his 19-year-old companion would have themselves recorded and broadcast the meeting live, while commenting on it live on social networks.
Police officers alerted to the incident met the two young men nearby shortly after it was reported. At that point, the robot was already in the trunk of a Volkswagen, but police say they seized the robot as well as the two suspects’ smartphones as evidence.
German media identified the robot as a commercially available humanoid model that costs around 5,000 euros, or about $5,600.
One of those involved later claimed on TikTok that the robot accidentally collided with a woman while trying to avoid another passerby. But longer videos circulating online appear to show the robot performing sexually suggestive movements after contact with the girl.
Investigators are analyzing surveillance videos and online recordings to piece together the exact sequence of events, police said. They also hope to determine whether the robot’s actions were controlled remotely, whether specific movements were programmed, or whether the machine acted alone.
The incident raises unusual legal questions. Under German law, the offense of sexual harassment generally requires direct physical contact between people. Legal experts told broadcaster RTL that using a robot could therefore make it difficult to prosecute the robot’s owners under existing harassment laws.
Instead, police are investigating the matter on suspicion of sexual insult. Possible violations involving unauthorized publication of images may also be investigated.
No charges have been filed against either suspect so far.
This case highlights new challenges for law enforcement as increasingly powerful humanoid robots become more accessible to individuals, raising new questions about liability when machines are used to commit potentially criminal acts.
Gn world
