Man
Professional
- Messages
- 3,088
- Reaction score
- 631
- Points
- 113
The amendments are aimed at controlling neurotechnology.
California has become the second state in the United States to officially recognize the importance of protecting mental privacy at the legislative level. On September 28, a law was adopted that amends the existing Consumer Protection Act to include the concept of neurodata, which significantly expands the rights of citizens to control information about their brain activity.
Neurotechnology is developing rapidly, and devices that can track brain activity are becoming more and more affordable. These technologies have already found application in medicine, allowing paralyzed people to regain the ability to move limbs or communicate with thoughts. However, the use of neurodata is not limited to healthcare alone. Companies are offering consumers devices to improve concentration, and some employers and educational institutions have begun to use such technology to track the alertness levels of employees and students.
Neurodata is of particular value because it can reveal a person's hidden preferences, emotions, and even intentions. A new law in California aims to protect this data, which is now officially recognized as part of personal information. This includes any information obtained from measuring the activity of the central or peripheral nervous system that is not based on other external data.
The law prohibits companies from selling or transferring neural data without the consent of the owner and obliges them to take measures to anonymize such data. In addition, users have the right to know what data is being collected and can request that it be deleted.
The adoption of the law was an important step towards protecting mental privacy, but experts believe that there are still issues that need to be improved. For example, there is uncertainty in the interpretation of the term "non-neural information", which can provide loopholes for the use of data obtained indirectly without proper protection. Some experts believe that it is necessary to expand the concept of neurodata to a broader definition that would include not only brain data, but also other biometric indicators, such as heartbeat or eye movements, which can also reveal information about a person's mental state.
Although the law has already gone into effect, many believe that California will be the starting point for further adoption of similar legislation at the national and international levels, which will protect the mental privacy of people around the world.
Source
California has become the second state in the United States to officially recognize the importance of protecting mental privacy at the legislative level. On September 28, a law was adopted that amends the existing Consumer Protection Act to include the concept of neurodata, which significantly expands the rights of citizens to control information about their brain activity.
Neurotechnology is developing rapidly, and devices that can track brain activity are becoming more and more affordable. These technologies have already found application in medicine, allowing paralyzed people to regain the ability to move limbs or communicate with thoughts. However, the use of neurodata is not limited to healthcare alone. Companies are offering consumers devices to improve concentration, and some employers and educational institutions have begun to use such technology to track the alertness levels of employees and students.
Neurodata is of particular value because it can reveal a person's hidden preferences, emotions, and even intentions. A new law in California aims to protect this data, which is now officially recognized as part of personal information. This includes any information obtained from measuring the activity of the central or peripheral nervous system that is not based on other external data.
The law prohibits companies from selling or transferring neural data without the consent of the owner and obliges them to take measures to anonymize such data. In addition, users have the right to know what data is being collected and can request that it be deleted.
The adoption of the law was an important step towards protecting mental privacy, but experts believe that there are still issues that need to be improved. For example, there is uncertainty in the interpretation of the term "non-neural information", which can provide loopholes for the use of data obtained indirectly without proper protection. Some experts believe that it is necessary to expand the concept of neurodata to a broader definition that would include not only brain data, but also other biometric indicators, such as heartbeat or eye movements, which can also reveal information about a person's mental state.
Although the law has already gone into effect, many believe that California will be the starting point for further adoption of similar legislation at the national and international levels, which will protect the mental privacy of people around the world.
Source
