I was just reading about new technology that helps people who can't
speak express themselves:
https://gizmodo.com/new-brain-interface-interprets-inner-monologues-with-startling-accuracy-2000643023
My first thought was about how wonderful it is that people who lack the
power of speech may soon have greatly increased abilities to communicate
with others. But then my years of reading science fiction and history
got me worried: what if some version of this technology made it possible
for people to read your thoughts AGAINST YOUR WILL?
After all, this technology feels rather like mind-reading. While that
may bring tremendous benefits to people who want to speak but can't,
what happens to people who want to keep their thoughts to themselves?
They might find this technology used against them to ferret out those
thoughts.
At the moment, we can deny that we oppose some element of state policy
if interrogated by agents of the state, regardless of whether that is
true or not, and a benign state will have to give us the benefit of the
doubt if they lack any other proof, like comments on social media. But
if they can get a search warrant that lets them implant sensors in your
brain and then monitor your thoughts directly (and with very high
accuracy), the truth can be determined against our wishes. Whether we
are merely embarrassed about something and don't want to talk about it
or harbour deep dark secrets that might imperil people - I'm thinking
here of spies or crime bosses - our thoughts will no longer be private.
While that would be a great blessing to law enforcement - imagine how
easy it would be to identify murderers or ferret out spies - think about
the more mundane consequences. "Do you agree that co-worker X is a woman regardless of that fact that X was born with a penis, knowing that the
wrong answer will cost you your job and benefits?"
This technology seems like the start of a very slippery slope indeed!
--
Rhino
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