Reimagining Informed Consent in Human-Robot Interaction: Introducing the RoboConsent Framework

Informed consent is an integral process in human-robot interaction (HRI); however, current practices have been criticized for overlooking the social, psychological, and embodied complexities of interacting with robots. Social robots’ embodied, human-like design and social behavior can lead to misaligned expectations that pose risks such as deception, overtrust, poor user experience, and psychological harm for users. Moreover, robots often collect personal data in ways that are not always visible or understood by users. Typically, informed consent does not address such issues, highlighting the need for consent processes tailored to HRI. In this paper, we reimagine informed consent and introduce the RoboConsent framework, drawing from previous HRI research highlighting these issues and feminist consent models that address power imbalances and move toward a user-centered process. The framework consists of five components that ensure meaningful informed consent and six principles that guide how it can be obtained. These work in tandem to create informed consent practices that address the unique dynamics of HRI.