Three Democratic senators are sounding the alarm over brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies’ ability to collect – and potentially sell – our neural data. In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Maria Cantwell (D-IN), and Ed Markey (D-MA) called for an investigation into neurotechnology companies’ handling of user data, and for tighter regulations on their data-sharing policies.

“Unlike other personal data, neural data – captured directly from the human brain – can reveal mental health conditions, emotional states, and cognitive patterns, even when anonymized,” the letter reads. “This information is not only deeply personal; it is also strategically sensitive.”

While the concept of neural technologies may conjure up images of brain implants like Elon Musk’s Neuralink, there are far less invasive – and less regulated – neurotech products on the market, including headsets that help people meditate, purportedly trigger lucid dreaming, and promise to help users with online dating by helping them swipe through apps “based on your instinctive reaction.” These consumer products gobble up insights about users’ neurological data – and since the …

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