Five Top of Mind Data Protection Recommendations for Brain-Computer Interfaces

Key FPF-curated background resources policy & regulatory documents, academic papers, and technical analyses regarding brain-computer interfaces are available here.

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Provider:

Future of Privacy Forum

URL:

https://fpf.org/2020/09/15/five-top-of-mind-data-protection-recommendations-for-brain-computer-interfaces/

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Information

Tags:

Branches of biology, Brain–computer interfacing, Neuroscience, Medicine, Neurophysiology, Neurotechnology, Brain–computer interface, Human–computer interaction, Electroencephalography, Internet privacy, Intendix

Summary

Key Points:

Key FPF-curated background resources policy & regulatory documents, academic papers, and technical analyses regarding brain-computer interfaces are available here.
Recently, Elon Musk livestreamed an update for Neuralinkhis startup centered around creating brain-computer interfaces (BCIs).
BCIs are an umbrella term for devices that detect, amplify, and translate brain activity into usable neuroinformation.
But it is clear that brain-computer interfaces are increasingly used by hospitals, schools, individuals, and others for a range of purposes.
It is equally clear that BCIs often use sensitive personal data and create data protection risks.
Below, we explain how BCI technologies work, how BCIs are used today, some of the technical challenges associated with implementing the technologies, and the data protection risks they can create.
// Some BCIs are invasive or semi-invasiveimplanted into a users brain or installed on the brain surfacelike Neuralink.
Invasive BCIs, which are installed directly into the wearers brain, are typically used in the medical context.
EEG is a common method for recording electrical activity, with electrodes placed on the scalp to measure neural activity.
This data could be used for a range of commercial purposes, from product improvement and personalization to behavioral advertising and profiling.
As a novel interface, BCIs raise important data protection questions that should be addressed throughout their development cycle.
Below, we put forward just a handful of the high-level recommendations that developers should adhere to when seeking to create inclusive, and privacy-centric, brain-computer interfaces.
As with other devices, there are considerable privacy risks when a BCI is always gathering data or can be turned on unintentionally.
(4) Focus on Data Quality Providers should strive to use the most accurate data collection processes and machine-learning tools available to ensure accuracy and precision.
Moving Forward // The Future of Privacy Forum is working with stakeholders to better analyze these issues and make recommendations regarding appropriate data protections for brain-computer interfaces.