Senators warn of your mind data for sale

The area of ​​nervous technology emerging is filled with products that prepare all kinds of benefit by reading your brain waves. Whether they are already performing a lot of jobs, it is discussed, but they seem to succeed in liquefying the data they collect from your mind. in letter It was sent to the Federal Trade Committee, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer, Maria Canlo and Ed Marki, called for an investigation into the treatment of nervous technology companies with user data, and promoting warning bells that may be sold some sensitive and personal information.

According to the Senate members, there is a lack of organizational guidance in terms of its connection to the techniques of the computer interface (BCI), which opened the door for companies that collect and sell the nerve data that the user creates without their approval or clear understanding. Unlike other personal data, nervous data – taken directly from the human brain can reveal – books. “This information is not only a deep character, but it is strategically sensitive.”

Below is hunting when it comes to nervous technology: While devices that are considered medical technology, such as Neuralink from Elon Musk, are required to comply with data protection practices under the HIPAA health insurance law, the devices that are described as “wellness” purposes instead of their medical tools are much lower than assessments or requirements that reach user data. Many nervous technology products occupy this category, and promised to help people Sleep better or Dealing with anxiety and stress In a clinical, but it often enhances (Sometimes doubtfulScientific support.

As evidence of the lack of clarity of the current scene of data collection and protection in the BCI space, the Senators referred to a 2024 The report published by the Neurotights Foundation This was considered in data policies that include 30 different companies from nervous technology companies with the available devices for consumers without the approval of a medical specialist. The report found that 29 of 30 can collect user data and “do not provide any meaningful restrictions on this access.” It was also found that only half of companies allow consumers to cancel the approval of data processing, and only 14 allow users to delete their data.

There are some cases where there is protection for nervous data. Last year, Colorado An invoice passed Expand the Colorado privacy law to cover biological data. Likewise, California Approved a law in September To provide new privacy requirements related to brain data. But these protection spots are few and far apart, and they are the wild West everywhere.

Senators call to FTC to change this by expanding the requirements of reporting data to cover nervous data and create new guarantees to protect consumers from collecting and selling their brain data. Whether it is currently Very employees and Not exactly a friend of the consumer FTC has taken under the Trump administration this procedure has not yet been seen.