Doll Rights Act

"The truth is much more complicated than you think."

This article is written from a Lore perspective. It contains spoilers and different reference materials might be contradictory.

The Doll Rights Act (人形权益法) is a set of laws passed in 2062, presumably in the Neo-Soviet Union, defining the rights and responsibilities of Dolls. The Act recognizes that, though they are artificial, Dolls are intelligent and capable of emotions and learning, and defines that Dolls are the property of their owner, but have rights to personal safety and dignity.

Tens of thousands of intentional acts of vandalism, abuse, and violence against Dolls were recorded during the year 2060 (presumably within the NSU), including abductions and dismantlements, with no specific response from law enforcement due to the absence of specific regulations regarding Dolls. Manufacturers eschewed self-protection measures for Dolls because they could not bear legal responsibility, which encouraged Doll persecution by numerous radical anti-Dolls groups who eventually turned into general criminal entities, creating an ongoing social issue.

The Doll Rights Act and its amendments did not grant legal responsibility to Dolls and did not grant them the right to defend themselves against aggression. However, it increased civil penalties for crimes against Dolls, pushing these crimes away from the public sphere and into the private sphere. While crimes against Dolls remained prevalent in 2084 due to lax responses from judicial and law enforcement agencies, it promoted their integration into society.

Supporters of the Doll Rights Act consider that granting Dolls civil rights and elevating them to the status of humanity's companions is a necessary step towards a more accepting and just human society as a whole, and aimed to promote more radical amendments in the revision of the Act during 2085, including rights to inheritance and maintenance obligations.

Observations on Human-Dolls relations

“	— We were created by human beings, so we are part human too. — We are tools for humans, responsible for playing roles in their stories. —No, we are the continuation of the human story. — A conversation between GinGin and ZangyinZangyin about Doll nature.	”

The faction logo of independent Dolls introduced in Longitudinal Strain.

Because Dolls are created to serve, most humans look down on all Dolls as simple-minded, servile and disposable, but as Dolls get integrated deeper into human society and norms, they are treated more and more like individuals. An idea of “Dollkind” as a culture separate from human cultures exists, as exemplified by the reactions of some Dolls to the revelations regarding Operation Black Forest in 2064.

Because Griffin & Kryuger exclusively uses T-Dolls in their main workforce, tactical commanders are recruited based on their interpersonal compatibility with Dolls and general traits of character rather than military experience. This is exemplified by the Commander and Kalina who treat T-Dolls as human employees, giving them a salary and the same benefits and attention to their needs and growth.

Though the legal burden for actions taken by Dolls usually fall on their owners, Dolls themselves have sometimes been prosecuted separately, as in the 2056 case brought by the Military Doll Rights Organization against Svarog Heavy Industries and Octogen. Dolls are expected to give way to humans when using seats in public transports.

Dolls kidnapping (“Dollnapping”) and trafficking is a common underworld activity for both organized groups and petty criminals. These Dolls either have their memories wiped to be resold as is or are dismantled and sold as spare parts. Tactical Dolls might specifically be kidnapped by criminal groups to be used as assassins, and are targeted by criminals specialized in fighting and capturing Tactical Dolls or captured with "cyber traps", devices similar to mines designed to melt down their neural clouds. Anti-Doll groups are known to exist and viruses specifically targeting Dolls have become an international issue at times. One such virus is the ZeroDay iv-78, developed by the terrorist group called Remnant and used during the Red Sand Incident.

Dolls outfitted with child-like Neural Clouds are commonly employed in geriatry and psychiatry due to the natural response of patients to children, but they strongly attach to the people in their care and their memories must often be wiped to remove trauma after the loss or discharge of a patient.

Among the many fringe religions and cults that appeared in response to the distress of the population after World War Three, groups like Doll-Angelism ascribe supernatural and godly qualities to Dolls. Doll-Angelism members worship “Mythia”, a role that was forced on at least two Dolls who later joined Griffin & Kryuger, ^RF M82A1M82A1M82A1 and ^SG SUB-2000SUB-2000SUB-2000.

There is an account for the love between a human and a Doll called Meryl. The taboo relatioship was used by a rival of the human to sabotage his reputation and ruin him. After calculating the best way to protect her lover, the Doll resorted to murder. Overcoming her programming, she set up the man's rival to be killed by interacting with a dangerous stage element during a play, leading to his death. The incident shocked the White Zones and the Doll became a wanted criminal, but her lover refused to hand her over, instead uploading her Neural Cloud into Magrasea shortly before it was taken offline. Meryl later revealed to have acted on her own and not under a human order. The mysterious OATH system, dubbed Tactical Doll Special Marking System, isn't equated to marrying a Doll.