TED Talks Daily

Your right to mental privacy in the age of brain-sensing tech | Nita Farahany

May 30, 2023

Nita Farahany, a leading neurotech and AI ethicist specializing in brain-computer interfaces, dives into the intersection of technology and mental privacy. She explores the incredible potential of neurotechnology for improving mental health, such as tracking conditions like depression. However, she raises urgent concerns about the risks of brain data exploitation and the ethical implications of tech giants accessing our innermost thoughts. Farahany champions the idea of 'cognitive liberty' to protect individual mental experiences in this rapidly evolving landscape.

13:05

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Nita Farahany

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Episode notes

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Neurotechnology, or devices that let you track your own brain activity, could help you deeply understand your health. But without privacy protections, your innermost thoughts, emotions and desires could be at risk of exploitation, says neurotech and AI ethicist Nita Farahany. She details some of the field's promising potential uses -- like tracking and treating diseases from depression to epilepsy -- and shares concerns about who collects our brain data and how they plan to use it, ultimately calling for the legal recognition of "cognitive liberty" as we connect our brains and minds to technology.

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