Singapore deploys autonomous robots to catch smokers and other "undesirable social behaviors"

In Reno they have these folks, I like that better.

giphy-3

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Some perverse comfort knowing that nanny-bots such as these would survive about three minutes in any 'merkun [salutes] city before their parts were posted on eBay

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Is the “gathering in groups of more than 5” a pandemic thing, or did it exist prior?

(i.e. is it a “no protests allowed” rule?)

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All you need to do is chew gum, actually

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I suppose pushing the SnitchBot 5000 on its side and laughing as its wheels spin helplessly would be considered a “socially undesirable behaviour”.

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Previously on BoingBoing

Singapore is certainly worth keeping an eye on. Other “social straitjacket societies” are watching with interest, as - to be sure - is your government.

@jeddak your definition of a “healthy society” and that of many Singaporeans probably differ somewhat.

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The Anthony Bourdain episode on Singapore had a one-liner which really put it simply.

“It doesn’t feel like it should work, does it? But it does somehow.”

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Or they just give up and drown themselves in a fountain
https://interestingengineering.com/robot-security-guard-drowned-itself-driving-into-a-water-fountain

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It’ll be OK until they start looking like Daleks.

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How long until vigilantes take it upon themselves to dispose of robots and other “undesirable surveillance?”

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(multiply by 3/4 to get US$)

I found Singapore to be strangely like NYC (where I grew up), in terms of size, population, cosmopolitan-ness, and wealth. I didn’t test out the legal system.

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In Singapore? Probably never. Their attitude towards rules and regulations is very different to that.

A friend who lived there said that in a typical western country, when the government announces a new rule it’s a negotiation with the general public, and there’s a sizeable group that will always respond with “you can’t tell me what to do!” In Singapore, the government announces that society has a problem, and after much thought they’ve decided to fix the problem with the following rule. And the general public thinks about it and agrees.

Talking to Singaporeans outside Singapore, I didn’t detect any sense of frustration with the regimented society. Even after several drinks, no hidden bitterness or resentment welled up. They seem to feel that they’re part of a society whose structures agree with them.

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So what is the LGBTQ+ community like, compared to NYC?

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No. It’ll be ok until Daleks realise that looking like Singaporean robots is a better strategy.

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But if they’re so good about following rules and regulations, why the need to deploy robots to catch people who aren’t following rules and regulations?

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… or even have cops at all?

I wasn’t trying to suggest that the people I talked to were 100% of Singapore. Or that Singapore was a vast sea of obedient identical clones. Only that the ones I talked to showed surprisingly little chaffing. It was (and is) surprising and interesting to me.

As for why they’re deploying robots - I’m interested to know the cost / benefit the Sg police used. My guess is that this is like automation everywhere: a labour cost-cutting more, but I wonder what other benefits are in there.

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Do you want Robocop?! BECAUSE THAT’S HOW YOU GET ROBOCOP!

Seriously, that movie was a cautionary tale!

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