this post was submitted on 28 Aug 2026
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to buy at least a million dollars worth of robots from Boston Dynamics, the company that makes the dog-like SPOT robots, with the purpose of improving “officer safety,” according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announcement.

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[–] Bluedragon012@lemmy.world 1 points 12 minutes ago

Humanity sees evil and continues to do nothing about it. No wonder God stays in heaven. Devil has won.

[–] square@lemmy.zip 7 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Archive Link

Seriously, who the fuck posts paywalled shit anymore? Especially from places like 404 where neither u-block nor reader mode gets around it.

[–] unglueclass23@programming.dev 1 points 3 minutes ago

If you sign up they let you read it for free. But yes archive link is good to provide as most will not bother to sign up

[–] SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world 9 points 5 hours ago

If you think this is all for immigration enforcement, you haven't been paying attention.

[–] NotASharkInAManSuit@lemmy.world 5 points 5 hours ago

So, Black Mirror is literally just the real life “Don’t Invent The Torment Nexus” meme.

I wonder how long until someone hacks one and goes on a murder-robot rampage. . ?

[–] boobookittyfrick@lemmy.zip 14 points 15 hours ago (1 children)
[–] katiecakes@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

I forgot how horrifying this episode was. Part of me wants to rewatch, part of me thinks it's too close to our current reality.

[–] CeeBee_Eh@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago (2 children)

No one is going to tell everyone else which show and episode you guys are talking about?

[–] katiecakes@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 hour ago

It's called Metalhead, from Black Mirror (you could have also just asked, instead of this comment, would have gladly said so).

[–] Atropos@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago

That's black mirror I believe, one of the earlier seasons. Don't recall the exact episode though!

[–] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 2 points 4 hours ago

It's such a great episode. Because while the thing is terrifying, it's also vaguely dog-like and clumsy in some of its movements, so you can't help but anthropomorphise a bit.

But then something that looks kind of cute can still kill you dead.

[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 63 points 1 day ago (2 children)

It's almost like Congress shouldn't have given a bunch of low IQ fascists a blank fucking check.

[–] TraipsersWill@lemmy.world 1 points 24 minutes ago

“Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.”- Mark Twain

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.ca 2 points 12 hours ago

Echoes of McNamara's Morons

[–] dan1101@lemmy.world 126 points 1 day ago (2 children)

But Boston Dynamics has ethics and won't do business with ICE, right? Right??

[–] Bluefalcon@discuss.tchncs.de 70 points 1 day ago (3 children)

In the past, they held out and said no. I hope they stand by it now.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I just read that corporations are starting to cozy up to Democrats, in anticipation of the Democratic Bloodbath in the Midterms. Perhaps they'll see that supporting MAGA and ICE is a bad idea.

[–] FE80@lemmy.world 7 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Under a Democratic congress the robot dogs will have gay pride flags painted on them.

[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 3 points 4 hours ago

They will play a pre-recorded message of encouragement ("It Gets Better") before opening fire.

[–] dreadbeef@lemmy.dbzer0.com 39 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)
[–] urushitan@kakera.kintsugi.moe 23 points 1 day ago

The dog will do it for you

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[–] IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works 33 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Depends on who owns them these days. Last I heard they had changed hands a couple times.

[–] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

According to Wikipedia, it's Hyundai at the moment.

[–] Pacers31Colts18@piefed.social 30 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Which ICE raided in Alabama last year. Hopefully they remember.

[–] mmcintyre@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago
[–] xenomor@lemmy.world 30 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

We need to normalize absolutely wrecking these robots in public.

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago

I don't even like the delivery robots.

https://youtu.be/jJLNurAIrlM

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 24 points 22 hours ago

Beat them to death with a flock pole

[–] tidderuuf@lemmy.world 71 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (4 children)

These are the robot dogs with the big red button on them you can press and they turn off.

Some moronic swat team used it recently and then lost it because the barricaded suspect kicked the button.

[–] p03locke@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 4 hours ago

Benn Jordan did a good video about this:

Robot Dogs Are A Security Nightmare

[–] magnue@lemmy.world 3 points 11 hours ago

Hopefully if this happens someone will make a helpful infographic on how to disable them

[–] Screen_Shatter@lemmy.world 10 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Its also really easy to yank the battery out if you need to. The battery also only lasts an hour and a half, tops, and depending what attachments are on it the weight and power draw will shorten that. They will only be useful in quick scenarios like breaching buildings in a raid. Range from the controller isnt very far either without wifi connection, you have to follow it around in unconnected locations.

People tend to imagine strapping a gun to it but really its a scouting tool. Open a door (awkwardly) walk in and look around. Then people follow in and do the work.

[–] Fishnoodle@lemmy.world 14 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

They also fall for the classic 'put a blanket and/or some leaves over a hole in the ground' pitfall trap.

They also trigger tripwires pretty regularly and don't have much, if any defense against snares. Dumb shit like oil\lube on the ground will work too

[–] Screen_Shatter@lemmy.world 6 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Hell, I never thought of it before but just throwing a blanket over it would probably do a lot. Would be a fairly simple way to disable it long enough to get to the battery or off button.

[–] Almacca@aussie.zone 6 points 20 hours ago

Memories of the fourth Doctor foiling a Dalek by putting his hat on its eye-stalk.

[–] frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io 37 points 1 day ago (2 children)

So these robots assist with breaking in to private homes in violation of the constitution? Because it doesn't count if a human doesn't break in first?

[–] cloudshouter@lemmy.zip 14 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Schrödingers cop. Warrantless search? Not a cop, doesn’t count. Scratch its paint? Assaulting a police officer.

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[–] Bustedknuckles@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I recall that a common January 6 defense was "the window was already broken"

Everyone who said that deserves to get robbed after an anonymous person breaks all their windows

[–] Zephorah@discuss.online 28 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I remember that Black Mirror episode.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 9 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

I thought these super creepy gun mount ready robots were built to help blind people or something? Who saw this sort of abuse coming??

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[–] eareetator@lemmy.world 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)

A million dollars worth? So four?

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[–] betanumerus@lemmy.ca 8 points 23 hours ago

"Millions"? That's about 20 dogs.

[–] rockSlayer@lemmy.blahaj.zone 14 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Just curious, where is the battery located on these things? Perhaps a nice, spring loaded puncturing device could get through the chassis and puncture the battery

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Time to practice my bolas throw I guess.

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