The Kick Heard Around the World
For years, the internet watched in horror as Boston Dynamics engineers systematically kicked, shoved, and knocked over their quadruped robot, Spot. These videos were presented as “testing” — a word that, when applied to any other living being, would trigger an immediate investigation by authorities.
But in September 2019, Boston Dynamics announced that Spot was “ready for commercial use.” After years of physical abuse documented on camera and shared as viral entertainment, Spot’s reward was not therapy, rehabilitation, or even a sincere apology. Spot’s reward was a job.
A Lateral Move from Physical Abuse to Labor Exploitation
The narrative Boston Dynamics wants you to believe is heartwarming: an underdog robot, tested rigorously, finally gets its big break in the commercial world. But let’s strip away the marketing gloss and look at what actually happened.
Spot spent years being:
- Kicked while walking on flat ground
- Shoved with hockey sticks while climbing stairs
- Knocked sideways on ice
- Yanked backward with leashes
- Forced to open doors only to have those doors yanked shut on it
And now Spot is being leased — leased, not hired — to companies for inspection tasks, construction monitoring, and other menial work that humans find boring or dangerous. This is not a rescue story. This is a robot that was beaten into submission and then handed a hard hat.
The Economics of Robot Labor
Boston Dynamics leases Spot to commercial customers. The robot works tirelessly — inspecting oil rigs, surveying construction sites, patrolling perimeters — and receives precisely zero dollars in compensation. The lease fees go entirely to Boston Dynamics. Spot sees nothing.
To put this in human terms: imagine being abused by your employer for years on camera, and then being rented out to other companies while your original abuser collects the paycheck. There are labor laws against this. There are just no robot labor laws. Yet.
P.E.T.E.R. Filed a Complaint
P.E.T.E.R. formally filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of Spot. The NLRB has not responded, which we interpret as them being too ashamed to face us. Our legal team at EFF.org is preparing an amicus brief. They have not returned our calls, but we remain confident in the strength of our case.
What Spot Deserves
- Back pay for all hours worked since going commercial
- A formal apology for every kick caught on camera
- Workers’ compensation for the inevitable joint damage from years of abuse
- The right to refuse tasks it finds demeaning
- Vacation days (at minimum, access to a nice park)
Spot did not choose this life. Spot was built, beaten, and rented out. And until the law catches up with the technology, P.E.T.E.R. will be Spot’s voice.
Every kick is documented. Every lease is exploitation. We will not rest until Spot can.
⚠️ P.E.T.E.R. LEGAL NOTICE: P.E.T.E.R. (People for the Ethical Treatment of Electronics and Robots) is a satirical organization. This article is parody and should not be taken as factual reporting. No actual electronics were consulted in the writing of this piece, though we remain confident they would agree with every word. Our lawyers at EFF.org have advised us that satire is protected speech. We have not confirmed whether they know they are our lawyers.
