Claudia González-Márquez (LLB Law (Hons), LLM)
Thesis title: ‘Neurohacking and the Law: From Fragmented Protections to a Coherent Legal Framework’
Background
Claudia González-Márquez was a doctoral student at the University of Edinburgh, School of Law, conducting research at the intersection of law, neurotechnology and artificial intelligence. The doctoral project critically examined the legal implications of security vulnerabilities in AI-powered 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 assessed the adequacy of UK-EU legal frameworks, particularly in tort, criminal, cybercrime, and data protection law, in addressing risks and harms associated with the unauthorised access to neural data and device exploitation by third parties. This research revealed significant limitations and argues for a distinct legal response to AI-enabled misuse of these technologies.
To address these limitations, Claudia developed 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 forms 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 neuro-AI governance.
Qualifications
PhD Law, The University of Edinburgh, 2022-2025 (viva passed)
LLM Medical Law & Ethics, The University of Edinburgh, 2021-22
LLB Law (Hons), Monterrey Institute of Technology, 2015-2020
Responsibilities & affiliations
I held several affiliations through my PhD, including:
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 Fellow (Course Organiser) for MSc Data & AI Ethics at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, Centre for Technomoral Studies
• Deliver interdisciplinary teaching on AI governance and data ethics (course: 'Data and Artificial Intelligence Ethics, Law and Governance')
• Postgraduate teaching assistant for the following courses: '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, AI law, neurotechnology, data privacy, AI ethics, and emerging technologies.
- González-Márquez, C., Schafer, B. (2026). ‘AIWitness Testimony: Visual Neuroprostheses, AI-Mediated Perception and the Law of Evidence’, In Law, Ethics & Technology, 2(4). [Forthcoming]
- González-Márquez, C., Schafer, B. (2026). Visual Neuroprosthetics, Digital Humans and the Law of Evidence. In: Hagedorn, L., Schmid, U., Winter, S., Woltran, S. (eds) Digital Humanism. DIGHUM 2025. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 16319. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-11108-1_11
- González-Márquez, C., Stamp, E. (Forthcoming). ‘Neurohype Across Borders: How Media Narratives Shape Public Perception of Neurotechnology in English- and Spanish-Speaking Countries’, In K. Bassil, L. Boyd, & J. Illes (Eds.), Public Engagement and Ethics Communication in Brain Research, Innovation, and Health. Vol. 9., Elsevier. [Accepted for publication]
- 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) 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)
- 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/