One of the pressing topics concerning the impact of technology over human rights and democracy is the emergence of neurotechnologies that can measure and influence brain activity, for example, to treat illnesses but also to control tech devices. Neurotechnologies may thus impair and bound our privacy, identity and agency as human beings, posing risks for human rights. This development has raised ethical and legal concerns and brought about proposals towards the creation of human rights to protect mental processes and brain data, which may set a new paradigm in the way we interact with technology and also for the future of data-extractive business models.
Against this background, Chile has become the first country to include neurorights in the national constitution, providing a normative basis for the use of neurotechnologies in a matter that is compatible with conquered citizens’ rights in a democracy. At the regional level, in April this year, the Interamerican Judicial Committee approved the passage of a declaration of neurorights principles for the protection of international human rights.
In this dialogue, we propose to focus on neurorights as a key aspect of digital rights, and engage with the question of whether current initiatives to provide digital rights, as a necessary translation of fundamental and human rights to the digital sphere, should also consider the inclusion of neurorights to preserve our right to self-determination in a hyperconnected society.
Speakers:
- Rafael Yuste (Columbia University and The Neurorights Foundation, New York)
- Paula Siverino (International Bioethics Committee, UNESCO)
- Moisés Sánchez (Fundación Kamanau, Chile)
Moderated by Lucía Bosoer (School of Transnational Governance, EUI, Italy).
The event will take place in Spanish (simultaneous translation will be provided).
To participate, please register.
For any further information about the initiative, please contact Marta Cantero Gamito and Lucia Bosoer.