TOPICS

Professor Jennifer Robertson (Professor Emerita of Anthropology and Art History, University of Michigan) visited the “Japanese Culture” class and delivered a lecture entitled “’Securitainment’: Robots, Entertainment, and Surveillance Capitalism in Japan.” 

Professor Robertson began the lecture by discussing the widespread presence of CCTV cameras in Tokyo and other Japanese cities. She then moved on to examine entertainment robots, which can be understood as forms of embodied artificial intelligence, and explained how these robots have also been mobilized by their manufacturers as tools of surveillance.　As examples, she introduced SONY’s robot dog Aibo and other cute (“kawaii”), often animal-shaped robots that are used in various ways in Japanese households. She explained how these robots generate a continuous stream of private and biometric data that is collected by companies and their affiliates.

Professor Robertson also discussed Japan’s relatively permissive regulatory framework regarding privacy, noting that certain data-collection practices that are illegal or heavily restricted in other countries are often implemented in Japan without major legal obstacles.

The lecture provided an excellent connection to the course materials on “kawaii” culture and character aesthetics covered in the previous week. Students were surprised to learn what might be occurring behind the seemingly harmless, charming and cute appearance of entertainment robots, and how their “kawaii” design can be deceptive despite their use as tools for data collection and surveillance.

An active question-and-answer session followed the lecture, and several students continued the discussion with the professor afterward. She generously shared her insights, allowing students to further deepen their understanding. Through the lecture and discussion, students gained a clearer perspective on the complex relationships among capitalism, technology, entertainment, and surveillance.

Student comments submitted after the lecture indicated that they greatly enjoyed the talk and found it thought-provoking. Many noted that it encouraged them to reflect critically on the everyday and often unnoticed ways in which their privacy may be infringed upon.