Neurotechnology and children. When I have written about neurotechnology in the past it's been to explore how innovations by ambitious companies such as Neurode and Synchron can help to responsibly address the burden of disease that comes from stressed and ageing populations, particularly with higher rates of neurological disease.

Or to see how new scientific inventions in the "brain-to-skin" connection can be used by consumer good companies to create new products, such as the Neur/ae range by Sisley Paris cosmetics.

But this working paper made me think twice: "Neurotechnology and children".

It is a collaboration between UNICEF's Global Office of Research and Foresight and the government of Finland, and a very thought provoking take on how we can think about the impact of new tech on future generations.

How will this start?

In the near future, neurotechnology might be developed specifically for children and adopted by the gaming industry. Given the popularity of online gaming among young people, this could lead to rapid uptake of these technologies by children.

What are the potential benefits?

🧒 Precision medicine.

A data ecosystem tracking and connecting children’s neural and biological data throughout their childhood through to the adult stage may help detect their susceptibilities to rare, chronic and mental illnesses. Assistive neurotechnology could also help treat those with motor disabilities.

🧒Personalized education.

Brain monitoring may be used in the classroom to better understand the conditions in which children learn best, helping to conceive more personalized and effective teaching strategies. BCI devices may monitor students’ mental states, alerting them when they are tired and suggesting ways to relax or optimize their study time.

What are the risks?

⚡ Large amounts of brain and behavior data being collected from kids, could give significant power to those who control this information.

⚡ Throughout life, this data could be used for marketing, hiring, school admissions, insurance risk assessment, and even in legal proceedings to determine guilt.

⚡ Potential risks from the misuse of neurotechnology are especially important for children because childhood is a crucial period for brain development and the formation of their identities.

The Unicef research report also has a crucial call to action:

"As the fields of medical and commercial neurotechnology are progressing quickly, urgent action is needed to ensure the safe development and use of these technologies for children. If international laws, human and child rights, rules, and governance mechanisms are not utilized to establish robust ethical guidance....the increasing availability and normalization of neurotechnology may lead to harmful implications for children."

*Do businesses have a responsibility to worry about the impact of neurotech on future generations of children?*