Claudia González-Márquez (LLB Law (Hons), LLM)
Thesis title: 'A Critical Analysis of Legal Responses to Neurohacking and a Framework for Neurotechnology Misuse'
Background
Claudia González-Márquez is a PhD Candidate at the University of Edinburgh, School of Law, conducting research at the intersection of law, neurotechnology and artificial intelligence. Their doctoral research critically examines the legal implications of security vulnerabilities in brain-computer interfaces, with a particular focus on malicious neurohacking—the unauthorised access to and manipulation of neural information and computation.
Through a doctrinal and comparative legal analysis, Claudia assesses the adequacy of UK-EU legal frameworks, particularly in criminal, tort, privacy, and cybersecurity law, in addressing the privacy and physical harms associated with the unauthorised access to brain-related information and device exploitation by third parties. Their research reveals significant limitations and argues for a distinct legal response to neurohacking.
To address these limitations, Claudia proposes a targeted legal framework that codifies neurohacking as a distinct criminal offence, recognising the gravity of neural interference and reinforcing protections against emerging AI-driven threats. By providing the first comprehensive legal analysis of neurohacking within UK-EU law, this research aims to form a critical foundation for legal adaptation in response to the evolving risks posed by emerging technologies, and contributes to the broader discourse on criminal law adaptation, cybersecurity, and neurotechnology regulation.
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, 2015-2020
Responsibilities & affiliations
Outreach Coordinator at the International Neuroethics Society
PhD Affiliate, Edinburgh Centre for Data, Culture & Society
Postgraduate Teaching Assistant for the MSc Data & AI Ethics, Edinburgh Futures Institute
PhD Affiliate, Centre for Technomoral Futures
Editor, SCRIPTed Journal of Law, Technology & Society
Member, International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)
Undergraduate teaching
Teaching at Undergraduate level for LLB (Hons):
• Neuroscience and the Law (LAWS10176) (Course details: http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/20-21/dpt/cxlaws10176.htm)
Postgraduate teaching
Teaching Assistant for MSc Data & AI Ethics at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, Centre for Technomoral Studies
• Deliver interdisciplinary teaching on AI governance and data ethics, including the following courses: 'Data and Artificial Intelligence Ethics, Law and Governance'; 'Algorithmic Bias, Fairness and Justice'; 'Ethical Data Futures'; 'Democracy, Rights and the Rule of Law in the Data-Driven Society'; 'Data and AI Ethics as a Practice', among others.
Research summary
Fields of expertise: tech law, 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/