Surgically implanted devices that allow paralyzed people to speak can also eavesdrop on their inner monologue.
That’s the conclusion of a study of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) in the journal Cell.
The finding could lead to BCIs that allow paralyzed users to produce synthesized speech more quickly and with less effort.
But the idea that new technology can decode a person’s inner voice is “unsettling,” says Nita Farahany, a professor of law and philosophy at Duke University and author of the book: The Battle for Your Brain.
Current BCIs require extensive training where the user actively thinks specific patterns - they cant just “read” random thoughts, and the implants are customized to specific brain regions and neural patterns so forcing someone to use one without their cooperation would yield gibbersh data at best.
Think Clockwork Orange scenario. Hard not to think words when you are shown those things in images, and especially if you’re drugged.
Today that is true. I’m thinking of ten or twenty years from now when they have enough training data from all the volunteers to make solid guesses for randoms. I just think it’s something people should keep in mind for a technology like this. It could easily be abused.
Or force people to read/watch media and learning what activates