Police investigate humanoid robot after alleged groping of teenager in Cologne

The article argues that new technologies are repeatedly used to harass women and girls, citing smart glasses used to film women without their knowledge, tracking systems misused by police and AI-generated sexual deepfakes. Its latest example is a humanoid robot that allegedly groped a teenage girl in Cologne, Germany, while its operators livestreamed the incident.

Police have confiscated the robot and are investigating; a spokesperson described the case as new territory. The author warns that falling costs could make humanoid robots more common, citing a Bank of America forecast of three billion robots by 2060, and questions whether companies and authorities will adequately protect people from harm.