In Los Angeles, a delivery robot filmed thieves trying to steal its contents. The video footage helped police catch the suspects. But what are the repercussions when it comes to data privacy?
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00:00 A robot helped catch its own thieves. Pretty funny, right?
00:05 Actually, it's not really a laughing matter. In fact, it raises serious concerns about
00:10 video surveillance. A food delivery robot was out and about in Los Angeles when suddenly
00:15 thieves appeared and tried to steal what was inside. The robot managed to escape. But afterwards,
00:22 the manufacturing company that built the machine sent its video footage to the police, without
00:27 being asked to do so by the investigators. The police located the suspects and arrested
00:32 them. Delivery robots usually record their surroundings, but the decision on what to
00:39 do with that footage rests with the manufacturer. Serv Robotics wants to deploy 2,000 robots
00:46 in several U.S. cities. And if they continue making their recordings available to authorities,
00:52 it could turn them into a mobile surveillance network.
00:55 (upbeat music)