Australian Human Rights Commission paper on neurotechnology and human rights

A new background paper from the Australian Human Rights Commission, Protecting Cognition (March 2024).

The rapid advancement of neurotechnology in recent years has created significant opportunities for collecting, storing and utilising neural data to understand and/or manipulate the human mind. Such applications potentially have immense benefits for both individuals and the broader community.

It is not uncommon to see articles about the significant positive impacts of the technology – such as people being able to walk again or improving our understanding of how to treat chronic pain.

However, neurotechnologies also raise profound human rights problems which may require the international community to reconsider how it approaches several human rights.

… It is likely that neurotechnologies will only become more pervasive and embedded in the everyday lives of individuals over the coming decade. While it is important to harness the benefits of these neurotechnologies, there must also be greater scrutiny of the legal, ethical and safety implications of their development and deployment.

… This background paper seeks to stimulate discussion and advance Australia’s understanding of both neurotechnology and its human rights risks.