This is a subreddit for Quantic Dream's 2018 game Detroit: Become Human.
DISCUSSION
On a recent play through. Had a thought if cyberlife ever happened in real life. It could be seen as almost a foster organization. When it comes got he ability to purchase child androids. I mean when applying to adopt a child. You obviously need to pass various background checks. And processes before a foster organization would release a child to any family and/or environment.
Given the potential for abuse. As you see with Todd and Alice. It is arguable cyberlife should have implemented better monitoring systems to ensure Androids, particularly child androids like Alice. Are placed in safe environments. However because in the game cyberlife is positioned as primarily focused on profit and advancement of android technology. They clearly prioritize the sales of androids over the well being of individual units. Like Alice. And clearly society view Androids as property, and not sentient beings with rights or feelings.
Therefore Cyberlife may not see it as their responsibility. It’s interesting thought though. I mean In one of the endings of the game. President Warren acknowledges Androids as “living beings”. It could possibly lead to more society and cultural changes. It’s possible it could lead to Cyberlife reassessing their practices, and polices regarding the creation, and distribution, and monitoring of androids. In such a scenario, situations like Alice being with Todd. May be prevented. Cyberlife may implement stricter regulations. I’m r monitoring systems. To ensure androids are not placed in abusive environments. They may well prioritize the wellbeing and autonomy of androids over profit.
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As is in game, androids are merchandise. You don’t see Apple making sure that iPhones are being treated nicely. What a customer does with their Android once they purchase it is entirely up to them. Deviancy isn’t a acknowledged thing and when it is, it’s seen as a defect that needs to be gotten rid of
In the case of after a successful revolution, CyberLife wouldn’t be selling androids anymore. As their own intelligent species, all androids would be deviant and be living their own lives. Things a bit blurry when talking about the child androids, but I feel like they’d probably go into some sort of android branch of normal foster care. CyberLife just really gives the vibes of only being involved as far as production goes
This was really a missed opportunity to use Google and Android as your example ;)
Ah fair, but I’m an Apple girly so I guess that just came to mind first. Then I just rolled with it cause CyberLife is, ironically, a parody of Apple (it was originally going to be called “Lime” and the logo was the pattern that’s on Connor’s tie)
Yeah but you don’t see iPhones walking around and talking
Does it really matter? It really just comes down to them being supercomputers people use as everyday appliances. We already have basic AIs like Siri and Alexa that are commonly used and nobody questions that. How much of a difference would it make to give them a body that they could control?
Does it matter if a spoon is in a abusive environment? To the sellers the androids aren’t alive, they are like every other product, would Mattel check that a barbie is going to a safe home? The buyers of the androids could be pedophiles, abusers, addicts- it doesn’t matter because the androids are just products.
True. However the game does make you explore the ethical implications of treating androids as mere objects b sentient beings. The games narrative invites players to consider the consequences, of their actions and the impact on androids characters lives. So while in a strictly legal sense, you’re right, they maybe considered products. Like say an iPhone etc. The games narrative purposely challenges players to think about the moral dimension of how we may treat these artificial Beings.
Yeah that’s the point, we learn that they are alive but cyberlife believes they are not sentient? Of course we as the player see different but I don’t get your point in the post? In the ending you talk about cyber life would no longer own any androids as they are accepted as living things? But you say that cyberlife should do background checks for child androids? Why would they (besides loss of money, like morally) they don’t believe they’re alive. I think your operating on the thought that cyberlife know what the player knows but they don’t
My point was Cyberlife should be doing background checks for child androids in an ideal world
What? In an ideal world there wouldn’t be androids? And even if there were why would you do safety checks for something that isn’t alive. Do you mean in a ideal world cyber life would know androids are alive? If so that’s just slavery? I don’t think you’ve grasped the point of the game