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Are Dating Apps and Sex Robots Feminist Technologies? A Critical Posthumanist Alternative

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Gender in AI and Robotics

Part of the book series: Intelligent Systems Reference Library ((ISRL,volume 235))

Abstract

In the following, I first define what a feminist technology is, referring to the approach of Linda L. Layne, Sharra L. Vostral, and Kate Boyer. In a second step, the two examples of dating apps and sex robots—with a specific focus on embodiment and the datafied self—will be examined from different classical feminist perspectives. Finally, a critical posthumanist analysis and critique will provide an answer to the initial question of whether dating apps and sex robots are feminist technologies or if the question itself might cover exclusionary (and thus antifeminist) traits.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    David [17] discusses whether Roxxxy actually exists or if TrueCompanion actually is a dummy company. In December 2022, the Homepage is no longer available.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Weingartshoferstr. 23a, 88214, Ravensburg, Germany

    Janina Loh

  2. Stiftung Liebenau, Meckenbeuren, Germany

    Janina Loh

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  1. Janina Loh
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Correspondence to Janina Loh .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. ICREA Acadèmia, Department of Philosophy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain

    Jordi Vallverdú

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Loh, J. (2023). Are Dating Apps and Sex Robots Feminist Technologies? A Critical Posthumanist Alternative. In: Vallverdú, J. (eds) Gender in AI and Robotics. Intelligent Systems Reference Library, vol 235. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21606-0_6

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