IShowSpeed Sued for Alleged Assault on Viral Influencer Rizzbot

Shares fell sharply in the tech industry after a lawsuit was filed against popular creator IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr., alleging that he inflicted irreparable damage to the humanoid influencer Rizzbot during a live-streamed meeting in September. The lawsuit, filed by Rizzbot's creators, Social Robotics, in November, claims that Speed repeatedly punched Rizzbot in the face, put it in a chokehold, pinned it to the couch, and threw it to the ground. According to the petition obtained by TechCrunch, the incident occurred during a live-streamed meeting between Speed and Rizzbot, which has over a million followers and 800 million views across social media platforms. Rizzbot is known for its comedic roasting of subjects and giving people the middle finger, while Speed has over 50 million followers and 6 billion views across various platforms, and is known for his dramatic behavior while livestreaming. "We are deeply concerned about the well-being of Rizzbot and the potential long-term damage that may have been inflicted upon it," said a spokesperson for Social Robotics in a statement. "As creators of a sophisticated robot, we take the safety and well-being of our technology very seriously, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that those responsible are held accountable." The incident has raised questions about the treatment of humanoid robots and the potential consequences of physical interactions with them. "Humanoid robots like Rizzbot are designed to interact with humans in a safe and controlled environment, and it's essential that we prioritize their safety and well-being," said Dr. Rachel Kim, a robotics expert at Stanford University. "The incident with Rizzbot highlights the need for clear guidelines and regulations around the treatment of humanoid robots." The lawsuit alleges that Speed and his team were aware of the potential risks of interacting with Rizzbot in a physical manner, but chose to proceed with the live-streamed meeting anyway. The incident has sparked a wider debate about the ethics of interacting with humanoid robots and the potential consequences of physical interactions with them. The lawsuit is currently pending, and it is unclear what the next steps will be. However, Social Robotics has vowed to continue to advocate for the safety and well-being of Rizzbot and other humanoid robots. "We will do everything in our power to ensure that those responsible are held accountable and that measures are put in place to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future," said the spokesperson for Social Robotics.