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. Committed to advancing neurotechnology regulation, Claudia’s doctoral work focuses on the legal implications of security vulnerabilities in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), 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 EU-UK jurisdiction in protecting data extracted from BCIs and addressing liability is neurotechnology misuse. By proposing a comprehensive legal framework, Claudia’s work seeks to advance the theoretical concept of ‘neurohacking’,  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 neurotechnologies 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 for MSc Data & AI Ethics at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, Centre for Technomoral Studies

Courses: 

• Data and Artificial Intelligence Ethics, Law and Governance • Algorithmic Bias, Fairness and Justice • Data and AI Ethics as a Practice • Ethical Data Futures • Democracy, Rights and the Rule of Law in the Data-Driven Society

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/