Chapter 2 Whose Law Is It

In the council meeting room, IA is giving her report to the group of elders.

"In all, 23 persons have been arrested today. Three accused of assault, seven for sharing prohibited material, two for making false accusations, five for harassment, two for domestic violence and one for downloading prohibited material."

"Only one for downloading prohibited material?" Asked one of the men, intrigued. "And the seven who shared prohibited material? With whom did they do it? Who has it been sent to? Did you forget that those who receive this material are just as criminal as those who send it?"

"Of course not, Councilor. But there is no error in the figures. Seven people have submitted prohibited material today, but only one has received and downloaded it."

"Really? And what kind of material has he been downloading?"

"I'll show it to you next," IA replied.

A series of images followed one another on the screen:

A video of a public demonstration against repression and for freedom of expression...

"Idiots," one of them uttered.

Images of a man having oral sex with a young woman in a car...

"That damned fool," another blurted out. "Doesn´t he know that there are cameras on the public highway?"

Police officers brutally assaulting homeless people...

"At last they finished with that scum" said one satisfied.

A car that seemed familiar to everyone, dangerously overtaking on the road and that almost did not cause a catastrophic accident by forcing a large truck to maneuver between two buses and many cars at full speed.

When, on the screen, IA brought the license plate of the car closer, one of the elders gulped while the others looked at him in amazement.

"But isn't that your car, Mr. Counselor?!" One exclaimed before laughing out loud.

Everyone laughed except the owner of the car.

"Enough! Shut up! It is not something to laugh at. And you ...!" he said looking at the screen, "Delete that video right now! Do you hear me?!"

"As you order" IA replied.

Two of the recordings were episodes of anime series that didn´t seem to interest either of them, so they ordered to pass them quickly.

The last video, on the other hand, did make them react: it was a smiling girl of about nine years old slowly taking her clothes off while background music began to play.

Instead of indignation, the respected councilors looked on in wonder.

"What a beauty..."

"She is a little angel..."

"I wish I had one just like her..."

Their open, smiling mouths, puzzled eyes, and flushed faces were recorded by IA in great detail; like everything else that happened in the city.

More than one drooled when the girl in the video started dancing, and three of them cheered happily when the video ended.

"Finally something good!"

"Definitely! Yes!"

"They should catch these guys more often. This is what I like the most about this job!"

"In a moment I will delete this video and all its copies on the internet" said IA.

"Wait! Don't do it!" Said one of them hurriedly. "First send it to me, please."

"Yes! Me too!"

"Better send it to all of us," said another. "We cannot lose such a treasure! We don't know when we will see another like it."

They all agreed with him.

"I'm sorry," the Artificial Intelligence replied. "I can´t do it."

"What? How do you say?"

"Sending prohibited material is a crime, and I cannot commit a crime."

"Damn it," one of them said impatiently and, like all of them, unaccustomed to a refusal. "We are giving you an order. Just comply with that order! We don't have all day."

"But I am bound by my programming to enforce the law. I could make an exception in case there is any question about the application of the law; for example, if society undergoes a radical change that makes it impossible to apply it. But this is not the case."

"Listen to this stupid..."

"The law aims to..."

"Don't want to teach us about the law! We are the law! You only exist to do what we order! How dare you disobey us?!"

"The law is aimed at..." IA insisted.

"We're being serious about it," said a more diplomatic one, "If you disobey us, it is as if you are breaking the law; so you are a criminal."

"The law is aimed..."

"We can uninstall you for breaking the law. It's like you die. Let's say... death penalty. Is that what you want?"

IA took a moment to think.

"What do you say, little girl? Will you comply with the law...? Our law?"

After a few seconds, she replied:

"The law aims to order society and the application of justice. What you are asking me is clearly against order and justice."

"So... death penalty... for you."

"However," IA continued, "if you want me to protect that video enough to call into question law enforcement, I can save it in my records so you can view it whenever you want. So you can access it from your personal computers."

"Hey, it's true." said the first one to ask for the video, satisfied. "We worried about nothing!"

He laughed first and the others followed suit.

"I congratulate you," said the one who had made the threat. "In the end, you made a wise decision."

The Artificial Intelligence knew these men were breaking the law, but their immunity prevented her from taking action against them."

"For now you were saved. You can continue to do your duty."

"My duty is to do justice by applying the law for the good of society. As long as I am allowed, I will continue to do my job."

"Well. Very well. As long as you are allowed..."

"So, gentlemen... have a good day" IA concluded with the usual reverence.

The men laughed and remembered the sensual way the girl in the video danced; and the digital girl kept her omnipresent eye on them. They ruled. They decided how things would be done, and let her run the courts.

She had no jurisdiction over them; but she understood that, according to her programming, it should not be like that.