When technology can read minds, how will we protect our privacy? | Nita Farahany

翻译人员: Yizhuo He 校对人员: Jiahao Zhang

In the months following the 2009 presidential election in Iran,

2009年伊朗总统大选结束后的几个月里，

protests erupted across the country.

抗议活动席卷了伊朗全国。

The Iranian government violently suppressed

伊朗政府暴力镇压了

what came to be known as the Iranian Green Movement,

后来广为知的“伊朗绿色运动”。

even blocking mobile signals

政府甚至屏蔽了移动信号

to cut off communication between the protesters.

以切断抗议者间的联系。

My parents, who emigrated to the United States in the late 1960s,

20世纪60年代末， 我的父母移民到了美国，

我们一大家子

spend substantial time there,

在那住了很多年。

where all of my large, extended family live.

When I would call my family in Tehran

当我在镇压抗议活动 进行得如火如荼的时候

during some of the most violent crackdowns of the protest,

给德黑兰的家人打电话，

none of them dared discuss with me what was happening.

他们谁也不敢跟我说到底发生了什么。

They or I knew to quickly steer the conversation to other topics.

我，或者他们会立刻转移话题。

All of us understood what the consequences could be

我们所有人都知道，

of a perceived dissident action.

持有不同政见这一行为 会带来什么样的后果。

But I still wish I could have known what they were thinking

但我还是希望能知道他们当时的想法，

or what they were feeling.

或者他们的感受。

What if I could have?

如果我真的可以做到呢?

Or more frighteningly,

或者更骇人听闻的是，

what if the Iranian government could have?

如果伊朗政府能做到呢?

Would they have arrested them based on what their brains revealed?

他们会基于人民大脑所呈现出的 想法而逮捕他们吗？

That day may be closer than you think.

那一天或许没有你想象中的那么遥远。

With our growing capabilities in neuroscience, artificial intelligence

随着我们在神经科学，人工智能，

and machine learning,

以及在机器学习方面的进步，

we may soon know a lot more of what's happening in the human brain.

我们可能很快就能对人类大脑中 所发生的事情有更多的了解。

As a bioethicist, a lawyer, a philosopher

作为一名生物伦理学家、 律师兼哲学家，

and an Iranian-American,

以及伊朗裔美国人，

I'm deeply concerned about what this means for our freedoms

我为这类行为对我们自由的威胁

and what kinds of protections we need.

以及我们需要何种保护而深感担忧。

I believe we need a right to cognitive liberty,

我想我们需要认知自由的权利。

as a human right that needs to be protected.

这是一种亟待保护的人权。

If not, our freedom of thought,

如果没有它，我们的思想自由，

access and control over our own brains

对自我大脑控制和访问的权力，

and our mental privacy will be threatened.

以及我们的精神隐私将受到威胁。

Consider this:

设想一下:

the average person thinks thousands of thoughts each day.

一个正常人每天会产生成千上万的想法。

As a thought takes form,

当思想形成时，

like a math calculation or a number, a word,

就像数学计算，一个数字， 或一个单词一样，

neurons are interacting in the brain,

神经元在大脑中相互作用，

creating a miniscule electrical discharge.

释放出微小的电量。

When you have a dominant mental state, like relaxation,

当你处于一种主要的 思想状态，比如放松时，

hundreds and thousands of neurons are firing in the brain,

成百上千的神经元 在大脑中不断释放信号，

creating concurrent electrical discharges in characteristic patterns

以特有的方式同时放电。

that can be measured with electroencephalography, or EEG.

这些电流可以由脑电图， 即EEG检测出来。

In fact, that's what you're seeing right now.

事实上，正如你们所看到的那样。

You're seeing my brain activity that was recorded in real time

你看到的是由我头上戴着的简单装置

with a simple device that was worn on my head.

实时记录下来的我的脑部活动。

What you're seeing is my brain activity when I was relaxed and curious.

你们现在看到的是 当我放松和好奇时的脑部活动。

To share this information with you,

为了和你们分享这些信息，

I wore one of the early consumer-based EEG devices

我戴上了早期的面向 消费者的脑电图记录仪。

like this one,

就像这个，

which recorded the electrical activity in my brain in real time.

它能实时记录我的脑电波活动。

It's not unlike the fitness trackers that some of you may be wearing

它和你们戴的可以测量心率和步数，

to measure your heart rate or the steps that you've taken,

甚至你们的睡眠活动的

or even your sleep activity.

健身追踪器差不多。

It's hardly the most sophisticated neuroimaging technique on the market.

它并不是市场上最复杂的神经成像技术，

But it's already the most portable

但它已经是最便携，

and the most likely to impact our everyday lives.

最有可能对我们日常生活产生影响的了。

This is extraordinary.

这非常了不起。

Through a simple, wearable device,

通过一个简单的可穿戴设备

we can literally see inside the human brain

我们可以窥测到人类大脑内部。

and learn aspects of our mental landscape without ever uttering a word.

一语不发，就能了解到 我们精神状态的方方面面。

While we can't reliably decode complex thoughts just yet,

尽管我们还无法精确的 解码复杂的思想，

we can already gauge a person's mood,

我们已经可以判断一个人的情绪如何。

and with the help of artificial intelligence,

并且在人工智能的帮助下，

we can even decode some single-digit numbers

我们甚至可以洞悉一个人所想的，

or shapes or simple words that a person is thinking

所听到的，所看到的,

一些数字、形状或者简单的词汇。

or hearing, or seeing.

Despite some inherent limitations in EEG,

尽管脑电图技术还存在 一些固有的局限性，

I think it's safe to say that with our advances in technology,

但我敢肯定地说，随着科技的进步，

more and more of what's happening in the human brain

人类大脑中将会有越来越多的东西

can and will be decoded over time.

随着时间的推移被破解出来。

Already, using one of these devices,

现在已经可以使用这其中的一种设备

an epileptic can know they're going to have an epileptic seizure

让癫痫患者在发病之前，

就能够预先知道，

before it happens.

A paraplegic can type on a computer with their thoughts alone.

截瘫患者仅凭思想就能在电脑上打字。

A US-based company has developed a technology to embed these sensors

一家美国公司已经研发了 一种将这些传感器

into the headrest of automobilies

嵌入汽车头枕中的技术，

so they can track driver concentration,

这样它们就可以追踪司机 在开车时的专注度，

distraction and cognitive load while driving.

注意力分散和认知负荷，

Nissan, insurance companies and AAA have all taken note.

东风日产公司、保险公司以及 美国汽车协会都注意到了这一点。

You could even watch this choose-your-own-adventure movie

你甚至可以看一场“自选冒险历程”的电影，

"The Moment," which, with an EEG headset,

名叫《那一刻》，所佩戴的心电图耳机，

changes the movie based on your brain-based reactions,

可以根据你大脑的反应去改变电影的走向。

giving you a different ending every time your attention wanes.

每次当你走神， 就会给你一个不同的结局。

This may all sound great,

这听起来可能很棒。

and as a bioethicist,

作为一个生物伦理学家，

I am a huge proponent of empowering people

我强烈支持通过让人们

to take charge of their own health and well-being

运用包括这项惊人的大脑解悉技术在内的

by giving them access to information about themselves,

方式获取自身信息，

including this incredible new brain-decoding technology.

来掌控自己的健康和幸福。

But I worry.

但我还是担心。

I worry that we will voluntarily or involuntarily give up

我担心我们会自觉或不自觉的放弃

our last bastion of freedom, our mental privacy.

我们最后的自由堡垒，我们的精神隐私。

That we will trade our brain activity

我们会以我们大脑的活动数据，

for rebates or discounts on insurance,

来换取保险折扣，

or free access to social-media accounts ...

或者社交媒体帐号的免费使用权限，

or even to keep our jobs.

甚至以此来保住我们的工作。

In fact, in China,

事实上，在中国，

the train drivers on the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail,

那些在全世界最繁忙的高铁线路，

the busiest of its kind in the world,

京沪高铁线上工作的司机，

are required to wear EEG devices

都被要求佩戴脑电图设备，

to monitor their brain activity while driving.

以此来监测他们在驾驶时的大脑活动。

According to some news sources,

根据一些新闻报道，

in government-run factories in China,

在中国的国营工厂中，

the workers are required to wear EEG sensors to monitor their productivity

工人被要求穿戴脑电图设备 来监测他们的生产率，

and their emotional state at work.

以及工作时的情绪状态。

Workers are even sent home

如果工人们的大脑显现出，

if their brains show less-than-stellar concentration on their jobs,

注意力不集中或者情绪激动，

or emotional agitation.

他们甚至会被停工。

It's not going to happen tomorrow,

也许这不会马上就发生，

but we're headed to a world of brain transparency.

但是我们已经向 一个大脑信息透明的世界走去。

And I don't think people understand that that could change everything.

而我并不认为人们能 领会到这将改变一切。

Everything from our definitions of data privacy to our laws,

从我们对数据隐私的定义到法律，

to our ideas about freedom.

到我们对自由的看法。

In fact, in my lab at Duke University,

事实上，我在杜克大学的实验室

we recently conducted a nationwide study in the United States

最近进行了一项全国性的研究，

to see if people appreciated

去看看人们是否会注意到

the sensitivity of their brain information.

他们大脑信息数据的敏感性。

We asked people to rate their perceived sensitivity

我们让他们对33种不同类型的信息

of 33 different kinds of information,

按敏感性进行排名，

from their social security numbers

这些信息包括他们的社会保险号，

to the content of their phone conversations,

电话通话内容，

their relationship history,

他们的恋爱史，

还有他们的情绪、焦虑，

their emotions, their anxiety,

the mental images in their mind

他们脑海中的心理表象，

and the thoughts in their mind.

他们脑海中的想法。

Shockingly, people rated their social security number as far more sensitive

令人震惊的是， 人们将社会保险号的敏感性，

than any other kind of information,

排在包括他们的大脑数据在内的，

including their brain data.

任何其它信息的前面。

I think this is because people don't yet understand

我想这可能是因为人们还不太了解，

or believe the implications of this new brain-decoding technology.

或者相信这个全新的 大脑解悉技术的影响。

After all, if we can know the inner workings of the human brain,

毕竟，如果我们能够知道 一个人大脑的内部运作情况，

our social security numbers are the least of our worries.

那么我们的社会保险号就成为 最不需要我们担心的东西了。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Think about it.

想象一下。

In a world of total brain transparency,

在一个大脑信息完全透明的世界里，

who would dare have a politically dissident thought?

谁还敢有持不同政见，

Or a creative one?

或者创造性的想法？

I worry that people will self-censor

我担心人们会因为害怕被社会排斥

in fear of being ostracized by society,

害怕因走神或情绪波动，

or that people will lose their jobs because of their waning attention

又或者因为他们想过要 采取反对老板的集体行动，

or emotional instability,

而失去他们的工作，

or because they're contemplating collective action against their employers.

从而对自己进行审查。

That coming out will no longer be an option,

这样的话“出柜”也就不再会是一个选择，

because people's brains will long ago have revealed their sexual orientation,

因为在人们准备有意识地跟其他人

their political ideology

分享信息前，

or their religious preferences,

他们的大脑就已经

well before they were ready to consciously share that information

展露出他们的性取向、政治意识形态，

with other people.

以及宗教观点。

I worry about the ability of our laws to keep up with technological change.

我担心我们的法律 能否跟得上技术的进步。

Take the First Amendment of the US Constitution,

就拿美国宪法第一修正案来说，

which protects freedom of speech.

它是保护言论自由的。

Does it also protect freedom of thought?

那它是否也能保护思想自由呢？

And if so, does that mean that we're free to alter our thoughts however we want?

如果能的话，是否意味着 我们能随意改变自己的想法？

Or can the government or society tell us what we can do with our own brains?

政府或社会能告诉我们 如何运用自己的大脑吗？

Can the NSA spy on our brains using these new mobile devices?

美国国家安全局能用 这些新设备监视我们的大脑吗？

Can the companies that collect the brain data through their applications

企业能通过它们的 应用程序收集大脑数据，

sell this information to third parties?

然后将这些信息卖给第三方吗？

Right now, no laws prevent them from doing so.

现在还没有法律阻止它们这么做。

It could be even more problematic

而在那些还不能享受到

in countries that don't share the same freedoms

与美国人民同样自由的国家，

enjoyed by people in the United States.

可能会有更多的问题。

What would've happened during the Iranian Green Movement

如果在“伊朗绿色运动”期间，

if the government had been monitoring my family's brain activity,

政府监视了我的家人的大脑活动，

and had believed them to be sympathetic to the protesters?

并且认为他们同情抗议者会怎样？

Is it so far-fetched to imagine a society

这样想象一个人们只是

in which people are arrested based on their thoughts

因为有了犯罪的想法就会被逮捕的社会，

of committing a crime,

是否有点牵强？

like in the science-fiction dystopian society in "Minority Report."

它就像是科幻电影《少数派报告》 中的反乌托邦社会。

Already, in the United States, in Indiana,

在美国的印地安那州，

an 18-year-old was charged with attempting to intimidate his school

已经有一个18岁的学生因为发布

在走廊上射击他人的视频 而被指控企图恐吓学校。

by posting a video of himself shooting people in the hallways ...

Except the people were zombies

但是他射击的是僵尸，

and the video was of him playing an augmented-reality video game,

而那个视频是他在 玩一款增强现实电子游戏。

all interpreted to be a mental projection of his subjective intent.

这一切都被解释为他的 主观意图的一个心理折射。

This is exactly why our brains need special protection.

这就是为什么我们的大脑 需要特殊保护。

If our brains are just as subject to data tracking and aggregation

如果我们的大脑像我们的财务记录

as our financial records and transactions,

和交易一样受制于数据跟踪和汇总，

if our brains can be hacked and tracked like our online activities,

如果我们的大脑可以像在线活动，

our mobile phones and applications,

手机和应用程序那样被侵入和跟踪，

then we're on the brink of a dangerous threat to our collective humanity.

那么我们已经处在了 威胁到人类集体的危险边缘。

Before you panic,

在你感到惊慌之前，

I believe that there are solutions to these concerns,

我相信一定存在这些问题的解决方案，

but we have to start by focusing on the right things.

但是我们必须得从聚焦于正确的事情开始。

When it comes to privacy protections in general,

通常来说如果我们通过限制信息流动

I think we're fighting a losing battle

来保护隐私，

by trying to restrict the flow of information.

那么我们是在进行一场毫无希望的战斗。

Instead, we should be focusing on securing rights and remedies

相反，我们应该将重点放在权利保障和

against the misuse of our information.

对信息滥用的补救措施上面。

If people had the right to decide how their information was shared,

比如说让人们拥有 决定如何分享自身信息的权利，

and more importantly, have legal redress

并且更重要的是，如果他们因信息被滥用

if their information was misused against them,

而遭受到诸如就业，

say to discriminate against them in an employment setting

卫生保健、教育方面的歧视时，

or in health care or education,

能够得到法律援助。

this would go a long way to build trust.

这对于建立信任来说 可能还有很长的路要走。

In fact, in some instances,

事实上，在某些情况下，

we want to be sharing more of our personal information.

我们反而愿意去分享更多的个人信息。

Studying aggregated information can tell us so much

研究集体信息可以让我们对

about our health and our well-being,

健康和幸福有更多的了解，

but to be able to safely share our information,

但是为了安全地分享我们的信息，

we need special protections for mental privacy.

我们需要对精神隐私进行特别保护。

This is why we need a right to cognitive liberty.

这就是为什么我们需要认知自由的权利。

This right would secure for us our freedom of thought and rumination,

这项权利保护我们思考和沉思的自由，

our freedom of self-determination,

自主决定的自由，

and it would insure that we have the right to consent to or refuse

它还确保我们有权同意或拒绝

access and alteration of our brains by others.

他人获取或修改我们的大脑信息。

This right could be recognized

这项权利应当被公认为

as part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

世界人权宣言的一部分，

which has established mechanisms

而后者已经建立了

for the enforcement of these kinds of social rights.

执行这类社会权利的机构。

During the Iranian Green Movement,

在“伊朗绿色运动”期间，

the protesters used the internet and good old-fashioned word of mouth

抗议者使用了互联网和 老式的口口相传的方式

to coordinate their marches.

来协调他们的游行队伍。

And some of the most oppressive restrictions in Iran

而最终的结果是一些最残暴的限制

were lifted as a result.

被取消了，

But what if the Iranian government had used brain surveillance

但是如果伊朗政府采取了大脑监视的方法

to detect and prevent the protest?

来侦察和阻止抗议又会怎样呢？

Would the world have ever heard the protesters' cries?

这个世界还能听到抗议者的呼声吗？

The time has come for us to call for a cognitive liberty revolution.

是时候发动一场认知自由的革命了，

To make sure that we responsibly advance technology

以确保我们值得信赖的先进技术

that could enable us to embrace the future

能够使我们拥抱一个

while fiercely protecting all of us from any person, company or government

强烈保护我们内心最深处不被任何个人，

公司或政府非法侵入或改变的未来。

that attempts to unlawfully access or alter our innermost lives.

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）