An American non-governmental organization has warned about the dangers associated with "neurotechnology" for the general public, specifically the marketing of devices capable of recording brain activity or even influencing it without adequate consumer protections. Based on the recommendations of this organization, the state of Colorado has enacted a law to protect the confidentiality of "neural data."
Jared Ginsburg, co-founder of the "NeuroRights Foundation," stated at a press conference that this law is "the first of its kind in a U.S. state and in the world at large." This NGO aims to alert authorities to the dangers stemming from "neurotechnology," such as headbands for improved sleep, earbuds that assist with meditation, and skull sensors to enhance golf performance, among others.
These devices can collect highly personal data and analyze it through applications to inform the user about their performance, and they can also influence behavior. Rafael Yuste, president of the "NeuroRights Foundation" and director of the neurotechnology center at Columbia University, a neuroscientist, explained, "An individual's thoughts, memories, imagination, emotions, behavior, and subconscious occur in the brain."
The study published by the NGO revealed that major involved companies and lesser-known startups are collecting this highly personal data, not just what they need for their products. Since these products do not require approval from health authorities, they are not subject to medical device regulations.
The NGO noted that "the most concerning aspect is that the majority of these companies also grant themselves permission to share neural data with unspecified third parties." Experts have also expressed concern about long-term risks. Rafael Yuste stated, "Sooner or later, one of the companies will sell magnetic stimulation devices to enhance memory, and the second wave of neurotechnology sold to the public will enable control over brain activity." He warned that this is "not science fiction," as laboratory experiments have enabled researchers to decode human thoughts.
Science in this field is progressing rapidly, aided by neural implants that are close to producing signals and by generative artificial intelligence that helps translate those signals. Currently, devices available on the market target a limited demographic, but tech giants like "Meta" and "Apple" may significantly expand this market to potentially include millions of people. Ginsburg mentioned that "Apple" recently "filed a patent for connecting electroencephalography sensors (which measure electrical activity in the brain) to the next generation of wireless earbuds (AirPods)."
