Hacker News Reader

I understand the concern but I feel like it was on the right side of the line. The article says:

>displayed aggressive behavior

>swinging its arms in a manner described as aggressive and violent, similar to human behavior

I can understand aggressive and violent as descriptions of behavior that don't necessarily (on charitable interpretation) imply an internal emotional state.

View on HN

If I trip and fall and throw an arm out to catch myself instead of face planting, and my arm accidentally hits someone, this is not aggressive behavior. This is exactly what happens in the video, the robot lost balance and was jerkily trying to correct itself. This article is terrible clickbait trying to stir controversy

Aggressive is totally the wrong word. Malfunction is the right word. So it's really waaay off the line.

'described as aggressive and violent'. It is the right word, as it was what the spectators experienced. How the malfunction was perceived is kind of what the article is discussing. Things malfunction all the time. Malfunctioning in a way that scares people, potentially causing stampedes and death and trauma in extreme cases, is best avoided, even if the malfunction itself was harmless.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com