Haider, Sawsan
(2021)
Grey Matter’s Grey Areas: Privacy in the Age of Brain-Computer Interfaces.
[Preprint]
Abstract
This paper explores the emerging ethical and privacy challenges posed by brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), focusing on mind-reading BCIs that decode neural activity to interpret thoughts and intentions. As BCI technology progresses from medical applications to consumer markets, the stakes for personal privacy and autonomy rise exponentially. This work examines three unique privacy dilemmas, termed the “Impulsivity Problem”, the “Judgement Problem”, and the “Fingerprint Problem”. These issues emphasize that neural data, with its deeply personal and inextricable link to identity and thought, cannot be treated like conventional forms of information. Drawing on philosophical frameworks, particularly Foucauldian concepts of surveillance and biopower, this paper critically analyzes the potential for BCIs to create a new mode of privacy-infringing observation. To address these concerns, the study proposes a value-sensitive design (VSD) framework and provides a roadmap for ethically aligned BCI development.
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