Codifying Neurorights: A Legal Imperative for the Neural Age

Abstract

The rapid developments in the field of neurotechnology and neuroscience have caused profound challenges to individual rights, particularly regarding mental integrity and privacy. This paper discusses neurorights as the required legal and ethical framework to protect cognitive autonomy in the digital era. The study is based on preliminary research on neuroethics and human rights law and highlights the inadequacy of the current legal frameworks to respond to the intrusive potential of neurotechnologies that can bypass consent requirements and can access and modify neural data. The study argues that mental integrity and privacy, which are the fundamental aspects of human dignity, are more threatened than ever, requiring an immediate regulatory and normative response. The research recommends that in order to ensure the benefits of neurotechnology, without undermining human dignity, the states and institutions need to codify neurorights as part of emerging human rights regime in the neural age.