Brain Digitalization: Understanding Public Attitudes and Regulatory Implications for Brain Implants

Absztrakt (kivonat)

This study delves into the topic of brain implant technologies, examining how the public perceives them and the ethical concerns that arise regarding their therapeutic, enhancement, and altering applications. A survey was conducted to gather data from business informatics students at Corvinus University of Budapest. The purpose of the survey was to assess their levels of support and find any noteworthy ethical and privacy concerns. Interestingly, the survey revealed a gender disparity in attitudes towards technologies, with women exhibiting greater techno-scepticism compared to men. Furthermore, among techno-optimists—those generally favourable towards controversial technologies—there was a notable division in their support: they were more accepting of implants for therapeutic uses but showed reservations about enhancement and alteration applications. The findings demonstrate robust support for therapeutic applications, such as the treatment of paralysis and memory impairment, whereas the use of enhancement and alteration purposes met with significant skepticism. Respondents notably emphasise privacy concerns, particularly around the misuse of data and access by third parties. The study confirms the premise that therapeutic uses are more widely accepted than enhancement and alteration among respondents and highlights the presence of privacy issues that are universally seen across all usages. The statement implies that there is a requirement for strict regulatory frameworks to tackle ethical difficulties and privacy challenges. This could promote wider acceptance and responsible integration of brain implants into society. These findings may prove useful for legislators, technology developers, and the academic community as they deal with the complexities of neurotechnological breakthroughs. However, it is important to note that these findings are based on a specific demography and a non-representative sample even for this specific demography.