Chilean Supreme Court ruling on the protection of brain activity: neurorights, personal data protection, and neurodata

This paper discusses a landmark ruling by the Chilean Supreme Court of August 9, 2023 dealing with the right to mental privacy, originated with an action for constitutional protection filed on behalf of Guido Girardi Lavin against Emotiv Inc., a North American company based in San Francisco, Califor...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: María Isabel Cornejo-Plaza, Roberto Cippitani, Vincenzo Pasquino
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1330439/full
_version_ 1797293758707924992
author María Isabel Cornejo-Plaza
Roberto Cippitani
Roberto Cippitani
Roberto Cippitani
Roberto Cippitani
Vincenzo Pasquino
author_facet María Isabel Cornejo-Plaza
Roberto Cippitani
Roberto Cippitani
Roberto Cippitani
Roberto Cippitani
Vincenzo Pasquino
author_sort María Isabel Cornejo-Plaza
collection DOAJ
description This paper discusses a landmark ruling by the Chilean Supreme Court of August 9, 2023 dealing with the right to mental privacy, originated with an action for constitutional protection filed on behalf of Guido Girardi Lavin against Emotiv Inc., a North American company based in San Francisco, California that is commercializing the device “Insight.” This wireless device functions as a headset with sensors that collect information about the brain’s electrical activity (i.e., neurodata). The discussion revolves around whether neurodata can be considered personal data and whether they could be classified into a special category. The application of the present legislation on data (the most obsolete, such as the Chilean law, and the most recent EU law) does not seem adequate to protect neurodata. The use of neurodata raises ethical and legal concerns that are not fully addressed by current regulations on personal data protection. Despite not being necessarily considered personal data, neurodata represent the most intimate aspects of human personality and should be protected in light of potential new risks. The unique characteristics of neurodata, including their interpretive nature and potential for revealing thoughts and intentions, pose challenges for regulation. Current data protection laws do not differentiate between different types of data based on their informational content, which is relevant for protecting individual rights. The development of new technologies involving neurodata requires particular attention and careful consideration to prevent possible harm to human dignity. The regulation of neurodata must account for their specific characteristics and the potential risks they pose to privacy, confidentiality, and individual rights. The answer lies in the reconfiguration of human rights known as “neurorights” that goes beyond the protection of personal data.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T21:20:33Z
format Article
id doaj.art-006ab9d66053479ead66953f3a48a6d4
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1664-1078
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T21:20:33Z
publishDate 2024-02-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Psychology
spelling doaj.art-006ab9d66053479ead66953f3a48a6d42024-02-27T13:22:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782024-02-011510.3389/fpsyg.2024.13304391330439Chilean Supreme Court ruling on the protection of brain activity: neurorights, personal data protection, and neurodataMaría Isabel Cornejo-Plaza0Roberto Cippitani1Roberto Cippitani2Roberto Cippitani3Roberto Cippitani4Vincenzo Pasquino5Instituto de Investigaciones en Derecho, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, ChileDepartment of the Constitutional Law, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, SpainInstituto Nacional de Estudios de Derecho Penal, Mexico City, MexicoInstitute of Applied Physics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Florence, ItalyDepartment of Law, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, ItalyDepartment of Law, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, ItalyThis paper discusses a landmark ruling by the Chilean Supreme Court of August 9, 2023 dealing with the right to mental privacy, originated with an action for constitutional protection filed on behalf of Guido Girardi Lavin against Emotiv Inc., a North American company based in San Francisco, California that is commercializing the device “Insight.” This wireless device functions as a headset with sensors that collect information about the brain’s electrical activity (i.e., neurodata). The discussion revolves around whether neurodata can be considered personal data and whether they could be classified into a special category. The application of the present legislation on data (the most obsolete, such as the Chilean law, and the most recent EU law) does not seem adequate to protect neurodata. The use of neurodata raises ethical and legal concerns that are not fully addressed by current regulations on personal data protection. Despite not being necessarily considered personal data, neurodata represent the most intimate aspects of human personality and should be protected in light of potential new risks. The unique characteristics of neurodata, including their interpretive nature and potential for revealing thoughts and intentions, pose challenges for regulation. Current data protection laws do not differentiate between different types of data based on their informational content, which is relevant for protecting individual rights. The development of new technologies involving neurodata requires particular attention and careful consideration to prevent possible harm to human dignity. The regulation of neurodata must account for their specific characteristics and the potential risks they pose to privacy, confidentiality, and individual rights. The answer lies in the reconfiguration of human rights known as “neurorights” that goes beyond the protection of personal data.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1330439/fullneurodataneurorightsGDPRSupreme Court judgmentartificial intelligenceneuroenhancement
spellingShingle María Isabel Cornejo-Plaza
Roberto Cippitani
Roberto Cippitani
Roberto Cippitani
Roberto Cippitani
Vincenzo Pasquino
Chilean Supreme Court ruling on the protection of brain activity: neurorights, personal data protection, and neurodata
Frontiers in Psychology
neurodata
neurorights
GDPR
Supreme Court judgment
artificial intelligence
neuroenhancement
title Chilean Supreme Court ruling on the protection of brain activity: neurorights, personal data protection, and neurodata
title_full Chilean Supreme Court ruling on the protection of brain activity: neurorights, personal data protection, and neurodata
title_fullStr Chilean Supreme Court ruling on the protection of brain activity: neurorights, personal data protection, and neurodata
title_full_unstemmed Chilean Supreme Court ruling on the protection of brain activity: neurorights, personal data protection, and neurodata
title_short Chilean Supreme Court ruling on the protection of brain activity: neurorights, personal data protection, and neurodata
title_sort chilean supreme court ruling on the protection of brain activity neurorights personal data protection and neurodata
topic neurodata
neurorights
GDPR
Supreme Court judgment
artificial intelligence
neuroenhancement
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1330439/full
work_keys_str_mv AT mariaisabelcornejoplaza chileansupremecourtrulingontheprotectionofbrainactivityneurorightspersonaldataprotectionandneurodata
AT robertocippitani chileansupremecourtrulingontheprotectionofbrainactivityneurorightspersonaldataprotectionandneurodata
AT robertocippitani chileansupremecourtrulingontheprotectionofbrainactivityneurorightspersonaldataprotectionandneurodata
AT robertocippitani chileansupremecourtrulingontheprotectionofbrainactivityneurorightspersonaldataprotectionandneurodata
AT robertocippitani chileansupremecourtrulingontheprotectionofbrainactivityneurorightspersonaldataprotectionandneurodata
AT vincenzopasquino chileansupremecourtrulingontheprotectionofbrainactivityneurorightspersonaldataprotectionandneurodata