Solarian Synthetic Policy Touch-Up

[Pope Dave The 3th]

Lore Impact (Small/Medium/Large): Small

Team Purview: Human, Synthetic

Short Description: Rewrites some portions of the Solarian Alliance's synthetic policy to put it more in line with synthlore's general vision, and removes remnants of Old Sol evilmaxxing. 

How will this be reflected on-station?: Solarian-originating positronics now have a bit more to work with.

Does this addition do anything not achieved by what already exists?: Yep. It elaborates on Sol's policies towards synthetics being more apathetic than actively malicious, and removes some very silly villain ball moments, like Sol kidnapping the free IPC citizens of other countries for shits and giggles and having a 1984-grade surveillance state entirely designed to make their IPCs' lives worse.

Do you understand that the project may change over time in ways you may not foresee once it is handed over to the Lore Team?: Yep.

Long Description:

Spoiler

Though patently rejecting the idea of synthetic personhood, IPC treatment within the Alliance is characterized much more by bureaucratic apathy than by true malice. Positronics are considered exceptionally useful tools by most of the Alliance, and afforded a similar degree of respect as any particularly expensive electronic device. The treatment and restrictions placed upon an IPC vary based upon their owners, with a notable divide between corporate and government-owned IPCs versus privately-owned positronics. IPCs owned by large corporations and the Solarian state are held to much higher standards of control, with implanted directives, tracking beacons, and movement restrictions enforced to minimize the risk of an IPC acting outside of its orders, or, in the case of major corporations, to reduce liability in the event of unwanted behavior. By contrast, private citizens have much more flexibility in their treatment of IPCs, with many privately-owned domestic IPCs being given extensive freedom of movement and action by their owners. Such flexibility comes at a cost in security, with private owners lacking the extensive legal mechanisms to protect them in the event their IPC performs a criminal act. 

In both of the above cases, however, extreme measures such as the Burzsiean Method are considered wasteful and counterproductive by the Alliance, as repeated memory wipes and personality erasure has the side effect of removing much of the unique capabilities which make a positronic AI system attractive in the first place.

All foreign-owned IPCs entering the Alliance must be accompanied by an organic handler for the duration of their stay, or be refused entry outright. Free IPCs are categorically banned from entry into Solarian space, except in cases where such an IPC is acting in an official capacity from a foreign government. Though these IPCs are granted freedom of movement due to their status, they will still face frequent spot checks, heightened security attention, and widespread suspicion from the Alliance populace. The sole exceptions to this rule are free synthetics employed by Eridani Federation PMCs, who have their free movement within the Alliance guaranteed by the Byzantine arrangement of legal contracts binding Eridani to Sol, provided they are on official EPMC business. Free IPCs who violate Alliance law will face unceremonious deportation back to their home country, with their tag recorded to ensure they do not return.