NYPD went full Black Mirror with a robot dog and the reactions were exactly as you’d expect

For the past six months, New York’s police department has had help from an unusual recruit – a $74,500 Boston Dynamics robotic ‘dog’ – known by its creators as ‘Spot’.

Spot the robot dog dancing to UpTown Funk is simultaneously both terrifying and hilarious. pic.twitter.com/UNPsXZrXvh

— Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) October 16, 2018

Footage of one of the four-legged machines at work recently landed on Twitter, and it didn’t go down well.

Nah they really got these robot police dogs in NYC. This is wild pic.twitter.com/iG7CTPFevH

— THEE DON (@1800SPOILED) April 12, 2021

For a start, it reminded some people of this episode of Black Mirror.

Black Mirror Pandemic Season 2 ep 4 pic.twitter.com/ddozxjKAdI

— Dana is Tired (@5drinkMax) April 13, 2021

By the time my kids are old enough to watch Black Mirror it’s going to be a documentary series https://t.co/7ehZctlz0i

— hellalee (@hella_leigh) April 13, 2021

That wasn’t the only issue.

1.

Im vibrating with fury. Instinctive revulsion is an evolutionary response adapted to save our lives, and I trust my gut reaction whenever I see these fucking things that they need to be destroyed https://t.co/IOd0MnAZr7

— (@Devon_OnEarth) April 13, 2021

2.

Bruh people don’t have HOMES and they throwing public money away.

— Loretta DeFINE (@FutureRichAunti) April 13, 2021

3.

I love this new #DefundThePolice ad. https://t.co/q887KQotJd

— Matthew Rosenberg (@AshcanPress) April 13, 2021

4.

Nope. Nope. Hard pass.
Did no one see Terminator?

— PoliticsGirl (@IAmPoliticsGirl) April 13, 2021

5.

1. Defund the NYPD

2. Give these Black Mirror dogs to high school STEM programs in #NYC to disassemble & reassemble into something not a cop https://t.co/RvBpaIG34k

— Andrew J. Padilla (@apadillafilm6) April 13, 2021

6.

A reminder that cops got robot police dogs before you got healthcare. https://t.co/IibnplMtA6

— Adriana (@Adrianabeate) April 13, 2021

7.

Sorry folks the robot dog discharged the flame thrower by accident. Our bad, it won't happen again. https://t.co/uXs1QqW3jY

— Oscar Nunez (@OscarNunezLA) April 13, 2021

But, you know – #NotAllRobotDogs

this is the ONLY acceptable robot dog

checkmate, boston dynamics pic.twitter.com/rDEor3KVxU

— psykhe (@psykhedelos) April 13, 2021

READ MORE

Boston Dynamics’ Dad dancing robots make as much sense as anything else in 2020

Source THEE DON Image Screengrab