Neurotechnology Breakthroughs Raise Urgent Privacy Concerns

In 2025, neurotechnology has taken a significant leap forward. Meta, the tech giant, has conducted experiments that integrate magnetoencephalography (MEG) brain scanning technology with generative artificial intelligence, allowing them to decode "visual representations in the brain" with millisecond precision.

This breakthrough in neurotechnology has raised serious concerns over the protection of mental privacy and freedom of thought. Neurotechnology can now access, assess, and even manipulate our neural systems, posing a direct threat to our core human rights. Fitness, stress-tracking, and other wellness applications are already capturing a surprising amount of data on our mental states, including attention, focus, stress, and mood.

To address these emerging challenges, Unesco has developed the first global ethical framework for managing neurotechnology. This month, Unesco's member states have adopted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology, which calls on governments to strictly govern the sale or sharing of highly sensitive neural data and protect the fundamental right to mental privacy.

The Recommendation also identifies other risks, particularly for children and young people, and generally advises against the use of neurotechnology for non-therapeutic purposes. However, Unesco recognizes the transformative medical potential of this technology, such as in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and treatment-resistant depression.