Claudia González-Márquez (LLB Law (Hons), LLM)
Thesis title: ‘Neurohacking and the Law: A Critical Examination of Legal Responses to Emerging Threats in Neurotechnology’
Background
Claudia González-Márquez is a PhD Candidate at the University of Edinburgh, School of Law. Committed to advancing neurotechnology regulation, Claudia’s doctoral work focuses on the legal implications of security vulnerabilities in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and neural implants, with a particular emphasis on countering the emerging threat of ‘malicious neurohacking’ and safeguarding brain data. Their research critically evaluates the adequacy of current legal frameworks within the EU-UK jurisdiction in protecting data extracted from BCIs and addressing the liability of neurohackers. By proposing a new comprehensive legal framework, Claudia’s work seeks to advance the theoretical concepts of ‘neurohacking’ and ‘neurorights,’ aiming to establish a distinct criminal offence that recognises the complex physical and privacy harms posed by attacks on neurotechnologies. This research aspires to lay the foundation for criminalising unauthorised access to neurotechnollgies and pave the way for recognising the rights and protections that BCI and neural implant users should be entitled to, ensuring both their privacy and physical safety. Such an original and substantial contribution will be paramount in advancing the fields of neurolaw, neuroethics and neurotechnology governance.
Qualifications
PhD Law, The University of Edinburgh, 2022-Present
LLM Medical Law & Ethics, The University of Edinburgh, 2021-22
LLB Law (Hons), Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, 2015-2020
Responsibilities & affiliations
Outreach Coordinator at the International Neuroethics Society
PhD Affiliate of the Edinburgh Centre for Data, Culture & Society
Teaching Assistant and PhD Affiliate at Edinburgh Futures Institute, Centre for Technomoral Studies (MSc Data & AI Ethics)
Editor at SCRIPTed Journal of Law, Technology & Society
Postgraduate teaching
Teaching Assistant at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, Centre for Technomoral Studies (MSc Data & AI Ethics)
Research summary
Fields of expertise: neurotechnology, medical law, neuroethics, data privacy, AI ethics, and emerging technologies.
Affiliated research centres
González-Márquez C (2023) Neuromodulation and memory: exploring ethical ramifications in memory modification treatment via implantable neurotechnologies. Front. Psychol. 14:1282634. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1282634 / (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1282634/full)
Urian, D., Higgins, N., Abreu-Melon, J. M., Nagam, V., González-Márquez, C., Oppong, A., & Nsaanee, B. (2024). Neglected Stakeholder Perspectives in Qualitative Neural Implant Research. AJOB Neuroscience, 15(3), 184–187. https://doi.org/10.1080/21507740.2024.2365132 / (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21507740.2024.2365132)
González-Márquez C (2023) Book review: Embodied Narratives: Protecting Identity Interests through Ethical Governance of Bioinformation. SCRIPTed Journal of Law, Technology & Society. doi: https://doi.org/10.2218/scrip.20.2.2023.8981 / (http://journals.ed.ac.uk/script-ed/article/view/8981/11927)
González-Márquez C (2022) Protecting Neural Data: The Next Neurolaw Challenge', The Mason Institute for Medicine, Life Sciences & the Law. https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mason-institute/2022/06/23/protecting-neural-data-the-next-neurolaw-challenge-by-claudia-gonzalez-marquez/