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

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: congmei Han

In the months following the 2009 presidential election in Iran,

在 2009 年伊朗 總統大選之後的數個月，

protests erupted across the country.

抗議在該國各地爆發。

The Iranian government violently suppressed

伊朗政府以暴力方式壓制

what came to be known as the Iranian Green Movement,

後來大家所知的伊朗綠色革命，

even blocking mobile signals

政府甚至阻擋手機訊號，

to cut off communication between the protesters.

切斷抗議者之間的通訊。

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

我父母在六○年代末移民到美國，

spend substantial time there,

他們很多時候都在伊朗，

where all of my large, extended family live.

我非常大的大家庭 成員都住在那裡。

When I would call my family in Tehran

在政府用最暴力的方式鎮壓抗議時，

during some of the most violent crackdowns of the protest,

我會打電話給在德黑蘭的家人，

none of them dared discuss with me what was happening.

他們通通不敢跟我討論 發生了什麼事。

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

他們或是我都會知道 要很快地轉換到其他話題。

All of us understood what the consequences could be

我們都了解若被認為持有不同意見，

of a perceived dissident action.

會有什麼樣的後果。

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

但我還是希望我當時 能知道他們在想什麼，

or what they were feeling.

或他們有什麼感覺。

What if I could have?

如果我當初能做到呢？

Or more frighteningly,

或，更令人害怕的狀況， 如果伊朗政府當初能夠做到呢？

what if the Iranian government could have?

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

政府是否會基於他們 腦中所想的就逮捕他們？

That day may be closer than you think.

那一天可能比你想像的還要近。

With our growing capabilities in neuroscience, artificial intelligence

我們在神經科學、

人工智慧以及機器學習的 能力不斷提升，

and machine learning,

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

我們可能很快就會知道 更多人腦裡頭的狀況。

As a bioethicist, a lawyer, a philosopher

我是生物倫理學家、律師、

哲學家，以及伊朗裔美國人，

and an Iranian-American,

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

我非常在乎這項發展對於 我們的自由有什麼樣的意涵，

and what kinds of protections we need.

以及我們需要怎樣的保護。

I believe we need a right to cognitive liberty,

我認為我們要有 「認知自由」的權利，

as a human right that needs to be protected.

它是一種需要被保護的人權，

If not, our freedom of thought,

如果沒有保護它， 我們的思想自由、

access and control over our own brains

對我們大腦的存取權以及控制權，

and our mental privacy will be threatened.

還有我們的心理隱私 都會受到威脅。

Consider this:

試想看看：一般人每天 會有數千個思維想法。

the average person thinks thousands of thoughts each day.

As a thought takes form,

一個想法形成時， 比如一項數學計算、

like a math calculation or a number, a word,

一個數字、一個單字，

neurons are interacting in the brain,

神經元就會和大腦互動，

creating a miniscule electrical discharge.

產生很微小的靜電放電。

When you have a dominant mental state, like relaxation,

當你有一種主動支配的 精神狀態，比如放鬆，

hundreds and thousands of neurons are firing in the brain,

腦中會有成千上百個 神經元串接在一起，

creating concurrent electrical discharges in characteristic patterns

創造出依循特徵模式的 同時靜電放電，

that can be measured with electroencephalography, or EEG.

可以用腦電圖（EEG）來測量。

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

事實上，就是各位現在所看到的。

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

你們看到的是我的 即時腦部活動記錄，

with a simple device that was worn on my head.

我頭上只要戴著一個 簡單的裝置即可。

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

你們看到的，

是我放鬆且好奇時的腦部活動。

To share this information with you,

為了和各位分享這些資訊，

I wore one of the early consumer-based EEG devices

我戴上了一個早期以消費者 為基礎的腦電圖裝置，就像這個，

like this one,

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

它能即時記錄下我腦部的電活動。

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

它並不像有些人健身戴的那種

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

心跳追蹤器，或是計步器，

or even your sleep activity.

或是睡眠活動監測器。

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

它甚至算不上是市場上 最精密的神經成像技術。

But it's already the most portable

但它是最能攜帶的，

and the most likely to impact our everyday lives.

且最可能影響我們日常生活的。

This is extraordinary.

這很了不起。

Through a simple, wearable device,

透過一個簡單、可穿戴的裝置，

we can literally see inside the human brain

我們就真的能看見人腦的內部，

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

且完全不用說話就可以

知道我們的心景。

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

雖然我們還無法用很可靠的方式 來解譯複雜的思想，

we can already gauge a person's mood,

我們已經可以測量人的心情，

and with the help of artificial intelligence,

在人工智慧的協助之下，

we can even decode some single-digit numbers

我們甚至可以將一個人腦中 在想的一位數數字、

or shapes or simple words that a person is thinking

一個形狀，或簡單的字詞 給解譯出來，

or hearing, or seeing.

連他聽見的、看見的也可以。

Despite some inherent limitations in EEG,

儘管腦電圖有一些先天的限制，

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

我認為我們可以說， 隨著我們的科技進步，

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

會有越來越多在人腦中發生的狀況

can and will be decoded over time.

隨時間都能夠被解譯出來。

Already, using one of these devices,

現今，使用這種裝置，

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

癲癇症患者就可以 在癲癇發作之前知道即將發作，

before it happens.

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

截癱患者能夠單單用 他們的思想在電腦上打字。

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

一間美國公司開發出了一種技術，

來將這些感測器裝入汽車的頭枕，

into the headrest of automobilies

so they can track driver concentration,

他們就能追蹤司機在開車時的

distraction and cognitive load while driving.

注意力、分心，以及認知負載。

Nissan, insurance companies and AAA have all taken note.

日產汽車、保險公司， 以及美國汽車協會都已經在關注。

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

你甚至可以觀賞《時刻》這部 「選擇你自己的冒險」的電影，

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

看的時候要戴上腦電圖耳機，

changes the movie based on your brain-based reactions,

就能用你腦中的反應來改變電影，

giving you a different ending every time your attention wanes.

每當你的注意力降低， 就會給你一個不一樣的結局。

This may all sound great,

這可能聽起來很棒，

and as a bioethicist,

身為生物倫理學家，

I am a huge proponent of empowering people

我非常支持要讓人們有能力

to take charge of their own health and well-being

去掌控自己的健康和幸福，

by giving them access to information about themselves,

而讓他們取得關於自己的資訊——

including this incredible new brain-decoding technology.

包括用這項了不起的大腦解譯新技術， 就可以做到這一點。

But I worry.

但，我會擔心。

I worry that we will voluntarily or involuntarily give up

我擔心我們會自願地或不自願地

放棄我們捍衛自由及我們 心理隱私的最後保壘。

our last bastion of freedom, our mental privacy.

That we will trade our brain activity

我擔心我們會拿 我們的大腦活動來交易，

for rebates or discounts on insurance,

換取保險的貼現或折扣，

or free access to social-media accounts ...

或換取免費帳號來使用社交媒體，

or even to keep our jobs.

甚至用來保有工作。

In fact, in China,

事實上，在中國，

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

北京上海之間的高鐵，

是世界上最忙碌的高鐵，

開這條線的火車司機，

the busiest of its kind in the world,

are required to wear EEG devices

被要求要配戴腦電圖裝置，

to monitor their brain activity while driving.

用來監測他們 在駕駛時的大腦活動。

According to some news sources,

根據一些新聞來源，

in government-run factories in China,

在中國的國營工廠中，

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

工人被要求要配戴腦電圖感測器，

來監測他們的生產力，

and their emotional state at work.

以及他們工作時的情緒狀態。

Workers are even sent home

如果工人的大腦展現出 他們對於工作沒有做到最專注，

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

或是呈現出情緒煩亂， 他們就會被送回家。

or emotional agitation.

It's not going to happen tomorrow,

明天還不會發生，

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

但我們正在朝向一個 透明大腦的世界邁進。

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

我不覺得大家了解那會改變一切。

Everything from our definitions of data privacy to our laws,

一切都會變，從我們 對於資料隱私的定義，

到我們的法律， 到我們對於自由的想法。

to our ideas about freedom.

In fact, in my lab at Duke University,

事實上，在我的 杜克大學實驗室中，

we recently conducted a nationwide study in the United States

我們最近進行了一項 美國全國性的研究，

to see if people appreciated

來看看大家是否知道 他們的大腦資訊有多敏感。

the sensitivity of their brain information.

We asked people to rate their perceived sensitivity

我們請受訪者針對三十三種資訊

of 33 different kinds of information,

所認為的敏感度來進行評分，

from their social security numbers

這些資訊包括他們的身分證字號、

to the content of their phone conversations,

他們電話交談的內容、

their relationship history,

他們過去的關係、

their emotions, their anxiety,

他們的情緒、他們的焦慮、

the mental images in their mind

他們腦中的影像，

and the thoughts in their mind.

以及他們腦中的思想。

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

很讓人驚訝的是，

大家認為身分證字號的敏感度

than any other kind of information,

遠高於任何其他資訊，

including their brain data.

包括他們腦中的資料。

I think this is because people don't yet understand

我認為這是因為大家尚未了解

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

或還不相信這種新的 大腦解譯技術背後的意涵。

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

畢竟，如果我們能夠知道 人腦內部的運作，

our social security numbers are the least of our worries.

我們的身分證字號 是最不用擔心的了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Think about it.

想想看。

In a world of total brain transparency,

在一個大腦完全透明的世界中，

who would dare have a politically dissident thought?

誰敢有在政治上意見不同的念頭？

Or a creative one?

或是有創意的想法？

I worry that people will self-censor

我擔心大家會因為害怕

被社會排斥而做自我審查，

in fear of being ostracized by society,

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

或者，大家丟掉飯碗可能是

因為注意力下降或是情緒不穩定，

or emotional instability,

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

或是因為他們在想著 要集體會抗僱主的行動。

That coming out will no longer be an option,

出櫃與否也不再是個選擇，

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

因為人腦會揭露出

他們的性向、 他們的政治意識形態，

their political ideology

or their religious preferences,

或是他們的宗教偏好，

well before they were ready to consciously share that information

在他們有意識地準備好和他人 分享之前，大腦都先做了。

with other people.

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

我擔心我們的法律是否 能夠跟上科技的改變。

Take the First Amendment of the US Constitution,

比如美國憲法第一修正案

which protects freedom of speech.

保障的是言論的自由。

Does it also protect freedom of thought?

它是否也保護思想的自由？

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

如果是的話，那是否表示我們 可以任意改變想法？

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

或者，政府或社會是否能

告訴我們能用自己的大腦做什麼？

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

國家安全協會是否能用這些新的 行動裝置來監視我們的大腦？

Can the companies that collect the brain data through their applications

透過應用程式收集大腦資料的公司

是否能將這些資訊販售給第三方？

sell this information to third parties?

Right now, no laws prevent them from doing so.

目前，沒有法律阻止他們這麼做。

It could be even more problematic

有些國家問題可能更大，

in countries that don't share the same freedoms

如人民不像美國人能享有

enjoyed by people in the United States.

那種自由的那些國家。

What would've happened during the Iranian Green Movement

在伊朗綠色革命中，

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

如果政府能夠監視 我家人的大腦活動，

and had believed them to be sympathetic to the protesters?

因而認為他們同情抗議者， 會發生什麼事？

Is it so far-fetched to imagine a society

真的有這麼難想像這樣的社會嗎？

in which people are arrested based on their thoughts

人民因為他們有想要 犯罪的念頭而被逮捕，

of committing a crime,

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

就像是科幻電影《關鍵報告》中的 反烏托邦社會一樣。

Already, in the United States, in Indiana,

在美國印第安納州，

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

已經有一位十八歲的男子 被控試圖威嚇他的學校，

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

因為他張貼了一支他自己 在走廊射殺他人的影片……

Except the people were zombies

只不過，被殺的人是殭屍，

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

那支影片的內容其實是 他在玩虛擬實境的遊戲，

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

這全都被解讀為 他主觀意圖的心理投射。

This is exactly why our brains need special protection.

這正是為什麼我們的大腦 需要特殊的保護。

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

如果我們的大腦就像 我們的財務記錄和交易一樣

as our financial records and transactions,

會受到資料追蹤和整合，

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

如果我們的大腦能像 我們的線上活動、手機，

及應用程式一樣被駭入和被追蹤，

our mobile phones and applications,

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

那麼我們就是處於集體人性 受到危險威脅的邊緣。

Before you panic,

在你們慌張之前，

I believe that there are solutions to these concerns,

我相信這些擔憂都有解決方案，

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

但我們一開始就得 把焦點放在對的地方。

When it comes to privacy protections in general,

就一般性的隱私保護而言，

I think we're fighting a losing battle

我認為我們在打一場會輸的仗， 因為我們在試圖限制資訊流。

by trying to restrict the flow of information.

Instead, we should be focusing on securing rights and remedies

反之，我們應該要把焦點放在 保衛我們的權利並做出補救，

against the misuse of our information.

確保我們的資訊不會被濫用。

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

如果人民有權決定 他們的資訊要如何被分享，

and more importantly, have legal redress

更重要的，要有法律補救方法，

if their information was misused against them,

以免他們的資訊被濫用 來對他們不利，

say to discriminate against them in an employment setting

比如在應徵時，或健康照護

or in health care or education,

或教育的情境中被用來歧視他們，

this would go a long way to build trust.

要花很長的時間才能夠建立信任。

In fact, in some instances,

事實上，在一些狀況中，

we want to be sharing more of our personal information.

我們會想要分享更多的個人資訊。

Studying aggregated information can tell us so much

研究整合的資訊能告訴我們許多

about our health and our well-being,

關於我們健康和幸福的訊息，

but to be able to safely share our information,

但若要安全地分享我們的資訊，

we need special protections for mental privacy.

我們的心理隱私 會需要特殊的保護。

This is why we need a right to cognitive liberty.

這就是為什麼我們需要 一種認知自由權。

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

這種權利能確保 我們的思想和沉思自由，

our freedom of self-determination,

我們的自我決定自由，

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

且能保證我們有權同意或拒絕他人

access and alteration of our brains by others.

取得和變更我們大腦內容的權利。

This right could be recognized

這種權利可以被視為是

as part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

世界人權宣言的一部分，

which has established mechanisms

該宣言是在建立一些機制

for the enforcement of these kinds of social rights.

以強制執行這類社會權利。

During the Iranian Green Movement,

在伊朗綠色革命時，

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

抗議者用網路

以及傳統的口耳相傳，

to coordinate their marches.

來協調他們的遊行。

And some of the most oppressive restrictions in Iran

結果，伊朗政府解除了

一些最壓迫的限制。

were lifted as a result.

But what if the Iranian government had used brain surveillance

但，如果伊朗政府 當初使用大腦監視

to detect and prevent the protest?

來偵測並預防抗議呢？

Would the world have ever heard the protesters' cries?

世界還會有機會 聽到抗議者的吶喊嗎？

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

該是我們來進行一場 認知自由革命的時候了。

To make sure that we responsibly advance technology

以確保我們的科技是以 負責任的方式在進步，

that could enable us to embrace the future

讓我們能夠擁抱未來，

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

同時強力保護我們所有人，

不受到任何人、公司，或政府

that attempts to unlawfully access or alter our innermost lives.

以不合法的方式嘗試取得 或變更我們最內在的生活。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）