Personal Information

It’s clear that BCIs are intended to collect information on thoughts, feelings and opinions but since other applications aren’t really discussed most users aren’t aware that it is also capable of obtaining confidential information. While this may seem very difficult or like a lot of what-if’s, researchers at a Usenix conference in August proved that it’s all too possible and easy to obtain users personal information. By simply gauging users reactions to certain numbers, words and dates researchers were able to trick device wearers into giving up their 4-digit PIN, bank information, month of birth, location of residence and whether or not they recognized a set of faces.²¹

More worrisome is the lack of protection for such data that’s been obtained. Health privacy laws are the only somewhat protective measures and they only apply to certain groups or individuals including health care providers, health insurers and those who provide services for them.²² This means that companies can essentially use or sell BCI data without ever being checked. Once the information is gathered the lack of privacy rules make it possible for almost any type of advertising agency or company to retain and use that information to its advantage, regardless of the effects it has on the individual.

21. Upadhyaya, Abhilasha S. “UNETHICAL ADVERTISING-IS NEUROMARKETING AN EXAMPLE?: THE MAJOR CONCERNS AND EFFECTS OF UNETHICAL ADVERTISING IN GLOBAL CONTEXT.” International Journal of Management Research and Reviews 2, no. 2 (02, 2012): 285-92.
22. Ibid.