A sex robot convention pulled out of their venue last week after a tip-off it may be target for jihadi terrorists. The Third International Congress in Love and Sex with Robots was scheduled to take place at Goldsmiths University in London on December 19, 2017 but was relocated to a secret location.
“There were some threats that police had found from Muslim extremists,” co-founder of the conference Adrian David Cheok told The Daily Star Online according to The Daily Mail. “We took precautions because those groups are international. Robot sex is against the Muslim religion, it’s equated to homosexuality.”
The threats were reportedly handed over by Malaysian police officers.
The two-day event brought in extra security for the new location. Among the speakers was Dr. David Levy, a research scientist who spoke about groundbreaking technology developments that could see robots and humans making babies together without the need for sperm or eggs.
“While we are disappointed that, due to circumstances outside our control, this conference is not being held at Goldsmiths this year, we fully support this important area of research and continue to host events on this topic,” a spokesperson for the university said in a statement.
Sex robots are being rapidly developed. Fully-functional humanoid bots that speak and interact with their owners are currently available for purchase. They are facing stiff opposition from religious conservatives and some feminists, both of whom fear the technology will degrade male-female relationships. While religious conservatives worry about the spiritual and interpersonal implications because of beliefs about the sanctity of sex, feminists worry that promoting literal sex objects lowers the status of women.
In 2015, the event was due to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was cancelled after the Malaysian chief of police ruled the event was immoral and threatened to throw the organizers in prison if the event went ahead.
“It’s already an offense in Malaysia to have anal sex, what more intercourse with robots,” Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said at the time. “Don’t try to be ridiculous.”
Malaysian lawmakers seem to worry about modesty regularly. Last week two members of parliament slammed the uniforms worn by flight attendants in Malaysia as being “too revealing.” They warned the outfits may “arouse passengers.”
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