At some point, it will become useful to stop using the word “consent” in this discussion, as I don’t think the word has the same referent every time it gets used. In particular, I don’t think there’s general agreement on how much knowledge is implied when we say a system consents to an action, and the different assumptions about that lead to different conclusions.
It isn’t equivalent. Grooming isn’t simply being nice and complimenting and trying to get close. It’s also about isolating the target and eliminating their ability to perceive their escape options.
Manipulation. Children are prone to manipulation by figures they trust. So they have belief-in-consent, not actual consent.
From the abstract of this paper:
At some point, it will become useful to stop using the word “consent” in this discussion, as I don’t think the word has the same referent every time it gets used. In particular, I don’t think there’s general agreement on how much knowledge is implied when we say a system consents to an action, and the different assumptions about that lead to different conclusions.
It isn’t equivalent. Grooming isn’t simply being nice and complimenting and trying to get close. It’s also about isolating the target and eliminating their ability to perceive their escape options.
That’s not okay, to put it mildly.
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