Leave my brain alone: ban neural data exploitation

For better or worse, we live in the future. Threats to our mental autonomy and privacy are growing, not only through manipulative media—but also through investments in mind-reading technology. Unless we stop them, such companies will become powerful and entrenched.

Legislators should act immediately to classify personal neural data as they do human bodily organs so that it cannot be mass-harvested or sold for profit. As sci-fi as it sounds, technology that can harvest data from your brain is here.

Sign the petition to ban unethical neural data exploitation.

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LETTER TEXT:

I am deeply concerned about the growing potential for companies to use brain-computer implants to harvest and sell personal neural data. While this may sound far-fetched, it is unfortunately an increasingly likely reality. Companies like Microsoft and Neuralink are already developing brain-interface technologies that will be able to mine emotions for marketing purposes and influence the thoughts of its human host. 

Without protection by the law, companies will abuse new brain-computer technologies the same way they currently abuse our digital data. Such practices violate the human right to personal autonomy and enable mass biometric data harvesting.

Usually the law trails far behind emerging technologies, letting harms get horrible before any regulation comes. But before brain-computer implants are deployed at a commercial scale, legislators have an opportunity to act. If we miss this window, countless people may be unethically subjected to neural data harvesting. The time to legislate is now. I demand legislation to legally classify personal neural data similar to human bodily organs so that it cannot be mass-harvested or sold. 

Thank you,

[Your Name]