Member States of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization formally adopted on May 5 the proposal on the ethical issues of neurotechnology, the first global-oriented framework for the ethical norms of neurotechnology, the key safeguards it establishes will ensure that neural technologies are used to improve the lives of those most in need, while avoiding harm to human rights.
The Official Gazette says neural technology includes tools that can directly interact with the nervous system to measure, regulate or stimulate it. The technology has promising medical applications: deep brain stimulation can relieve symptoms of depression and Parkinson’s disease; and brain-computer interfaces allow disabled people to control prosthetic limbs or communicate through their minds.
Although the medical use of neurotechnology is heavily regulated, there is a general lack of regulation in other areas. Many consumers use the technology through everyday devices such as smart headbands and headphones, which use neural data to monitor heart rate, stress or sleep, the highly sensitive data collected may reveal thoughts, emotions, reactions and be shared without consent. The recommendations call on governments to ensure that neurotechnologies are inclusive and affordable, while at the same time establishing protective mechanisms to protect the inviolability of human thought.
The recommendations also point to other risks associated with neurotechnology and, in particular, recommend limiting its use in children and adolescents with developing brains to therapeutic uses. It also warns against the use of neural technology in the workplace to monitor productivity or to create employee data files, stressing the need for clear consent and ensuring transparency of information.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is being held in Samarkand and will enter into force at the end of the conference on December 12.