Moral positions creating power: how technological and social dualisms inform sex robot constructions

Sex robots carry significant implications for both the technology and adult entertainment industries. This paper applies moral philosophy within a critical political economy framework to evaluate prevailing moralistic and absolutist discourses. By analyzing 297 texts from the RealDoll sex robot company and the Campaign Against Porn Robots advocacy group, the study identifies surprising parallels in these two groups’ discursive logic. Stakeholders on both sides employ absolutist arguments to frame their positions as essential to the social good and to avoid sexual violence. While the Campaign Against Porn Robots focuses on potential harms against women and children, RealDoll highlights the artistic nature of the technology to legitimize its value and the robots’ potential for decreasing sexual violence. Ultimately, these findings underscore the need for more robust political-economic and institutional research into the sex technology industry.