Mind-reading device: could technology evolve to the point of ‘killing’ freedom of thought?

Technology has advanced to such an extent that our own individual freedom sometimes comes into conflict. For example, many applications that are now essential for socializing have permissions to access various user data.

But exposure and control are not limited to social media data, they go far beyond that. Several current devices can measure the number of steps, blood flow, blood pressure and even the individual’s pulse.

Furthermore, much of the data obtained is sent to companies, which can use it as they see fit. Given this reality and the addition of technological developments, it is only a matter of time before new devices can analyze brain waves in greater depth.

Will technological devices be able to read minds?

According to Nita Farahany, professor of Ethics of Emerging Technologies, some “wearable devices” are already on the market and can use brain sensors capable of tracking the organ’s activity. To do this, an advanced but still limited interpretation algorithm is used.

While these devices can describe brain activity, they do not have the ability to read our thoughts in detail. Many of them can only measure levels of attention and interest, stress, and a few other feelings.

However, they do this by interpreting the electrical synapses of neurons, and cannot fully describe a thought. However, the combination of this interpretation with the use of cell phones could pose a serious risk to human rights, as we would be able to interpret people’s reactions when analyzing political parties, for example.

Therefore, some experts are trying to discover whether this technology would be capable of discovering even more personal information, such as passwords and addresses.

Could this possibility harm humanity?

Although there are treatments for psychological disorders using brain sensors, the uncontrolled advancement of this technology can categorize different brain problems based on the analysis of different people, but this does not mean that all of them have problems.

In fact, this could lead to unnecessary mental health concerns, assuming it were possible to analyze the data itself.

Furthermore, an algorithm could classify a person as “neuroatypical” without any real certainty. Since we have different brains with different characteristics, a classification error would be likely.

Ethics in the future of technology

Furthermore, this brain invasion violates the rights of cognitive freedom, which is self-determination over one’s own brain. This freedom must be included in Human Rights, so that there is personal responsibility of the consumer regarding their information.

Researcher Farahany further explains that by setting limits on the right to mental privacy and freedom of thought, we could use this technology for social benefit. She believes that if we can use this tool for the benefit of health, there is no reason not to do so.

This positioning is due to the impact that these devices could have on the current advancement of neurological diseases, which often cannot be diagnosed.

However, it is worth highlighting the importance of always keeping ethics of thought and human rights intact as an agenda in discussions on technological evolution.