Our Brains Will Be Hacked, Tracked and Data-Mined

Our Brains Will Be Hacked, Tracked and Data-Mined.

-- Tom

 

Good reliable source there.

 

Remember that secretary in "Ghost in a Shell"? Her brain got hacked via telephone. And then there's "Snow Crash"

 

I won't go so far as to say it's impossible to put stuff in a cell phone or other wearable devices that might be able to read brain waves. Accurately interpreting them, not in our lifetime. As for making me wear or carry a device that makes it possible, it'll be a cold day in hell.

 

I think we've been down this path before. New technology is developed that allows us to do things we previously thought unthinkable, and that technology is heavily abused by both commercial and government interests. Which is to say, used against consumers and citizens. The technology becomes ubiquitous over time, and so too does that abuse, making it difficult for people to avoid the abuse even when they want to.

Even though we're talking about the most precious of things (our minds and private thoughts) and thus something that we might be inclined to expect people to defend at all costs, I can't say I'm optimistic about "this time being different" from a "people will resist it" POV.

Gaming headsets and other non-essential consumer devices would, for awhile at least, be easy to avoid. However, if mind-probing capabilities were built into medical devices that some people have to use... or it became possible to carry it out via phones held against the head... that would definitely be a serious problem.

If I were writing a Dystopian novel, I might have the resistance lay low and bide their time until a critical mass of society is using the technology. Then carryout one massive hack to implant corrective thoughts in their minds. Unfortunately, we humans seem to need to personally experience the worst case... or at least a very bad one... in order to recognize and avoid the dangers of anything. Mirimir, you seem to be up on literature... is a *good*, similar novel already available?

BTW, if there is anyone inclined to completely dismiss the possibilities, do read the Usenix paper that article linked to and which I linked to back in 2012: https://www.usenix.org/system/files/conference/usenixsecurity12/sec12-final56.pdf.

 

Our Brains Will Be Hacked, Tracked and Data-Mined.... and changed

Theres heaps of documentation about this type of stuff and more, from nano-machines in medication, to RFID chips (implants) altering your DNA, to altering your thoughts, moods and what not with electro magnetics. The despots who've imposed this stuff on people against their will fortunately will never get total control, though that's their game.

 

Ever watch those New World Order conspiracy videos from the 90s where they talk about them spooky microchips? Same level of relying on people not really understanding how a thing works, so you can take advantage of it and claim it'll do all sorts of spooky things! Vice, you know your target audience well. "Brainwaves, data mining, Facebook and the NSA!!"

 

The NWO is a fact and a conspiracy for sure. Videos that play on the ooky spooky and throw around such nonsensical phrases such "conspiracy theory" are nothing but red herrings intended to be so by controlled opposition.

 

Well, I mentioned Snow Crash, and there it's "bad guys" that are hacking minds

And then there's A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge. Bad guys again, on a vastly larger scale. See http://www.21cmagazine.com/Vernor-Vinge-Immortal-Thoughts

 

First: some people seem to be under the impression that Ted Kaczinsky was right. Let me disavow you of that notion:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1321_leper_scare

Second: "Nano-machines in medication" is a bit redundant, many countries already force psychiatric medications on political prisoners (and the US has done similar stuff in the past). "RFID chips altering your DNA" is really pushing it. How would you even detect such things anyway?

Edit: this is multiplying entities beyond necessity. I don't understand why we have to pad real conspiracies (the war on drugs, the war on terrorism, 24 hour news) with this Ed Wood crap.

BTW there's already a science of indirect brain hacking. It's called propaganda. It goes waaaaay back.

 

Certain words can change your life forever

 

So they will be able to BSOD (Britney Spears of Death) my brain? That's bad.

 

That's one reason why I hate ads so much.

 

Neural Data Privacy Rights.

-- Tom

 

But you will get free food, apartment and car if you let us do that!

 

I'd rather grow my own food. Already got a house. They can keep the car if it has any form of GPS.

 

Warren and Brandeis (1890) The Right to Privacy

 

You are joking and make this sound ridiculous.
But it is technologically completely feasible. "In the near future" is probably exaggeration - depending on how you define the near future. But the rudimentry tools are already appearing. This kind of technology will be used by the powerful, such as governments, in the future.

Scientists who study the brain already are learning much about how different parts of the brain behave when a person (or animal) feels a certain way. They can take pictures or movies of different states of brain activity with special imaging machines.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/7159464/Do-we-want-brain-scanners-to-read-our-minds.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15744871
This will be combined with other ways to measure brain activity -- more advanced than EEGs available now.

And there are tools to even read body activity through walls.

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/...ll-movement-and-heartbeat-detection-with-wifi

It is not so hard to predict what will happen. Authoritarian groups that demand obedience will scan brains of their members. Some people will sell their participation in being scanned for product evaluation by companies. Stores will read brain activity of people who are shopping. The stores will say if you enter inside you give them permission -- people at first will object but later it will be everywhere and people will just give in. Governments will be using drones or satellites to read brain activity of targetted people in the name of security. People will say it is ok if it keep them safe -- they have nothing to hide.

 

Tinfoil hats

Maybe chainmail will become fashionable