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Unesco adopts global standards on ‘wild west’ field of neurotechnology
Key Excerpts from Article on Website of The Guardian
Posted: July 2nd, 2026
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/06/unesco-adopts-...
Unesco has adopted a set of global standards on the ethics of neurotechnology, a field that has been described as “a bit of a wild west”. She said the new standards were driven by two recent developments in neurotechnology: artificial intelligence (AI), which offers vast possibilities in decoding brain data, and the proliferation of consumer-grade neurotech devices such as earbuds that claim to read brain activity and glasses that track eye movements. The standards define a new category of data, “neural data”, and suggest guidelines governing its protection. A list of more than 100 recommendations ranges from rights-based concerns to addressing scenarios that are – at least for now – science fiction, such as companies using neurotechnology to subliminally market to people during their dreams. “Neurotechnology has the potential to define the next frontier of human progress, but it is not without risks,” said Unesco’s director general, Audrey Azoulay. The new standards would “enshrine the inviolability of the human mind”, she said. Advocates for neurotech regulation emphasise the importance of safeguarding personal data. Unesco’s standards highlight the need for “mental privacy” and “freedom of thought”. “What’s happening with all this legislation is fear. People are afraid of what this technology is capable of. The idea of neurotech reading people’s minds is scary,” said Kristen Mathews, a lawyer who works on mental privacy issues.
Note: In 1965, Jose Delgado famously stopped a charging bull with an electronic device implanted in its brain. How far might this technology progressed since then? For more along these lines, read our concise summaries of news articles on microchip implants and mind control.
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