UNESCO adopts first global ethical framework for neurotechnology

UNESCO has approved the world’s first international framework on the ethics of neurotechnology, a fast-growing field that enables direct interaction between digital systems and the human nervous system. The Recommendation, adopted by member states and entering into force on 12 November, sets out global safeguards to ensure that advances in brain-related technologies respect human rights, mental privacy and personal dignity.

Addressing a rapidly expanding technological frontier

Neurotechnology has developed at high speed in recent years. Investment in the sector grew by roughly 700% between 2014 and 2021, driven by medical devices such as deep-brain stimulation and brain–computer interfaces, as well as a new wave of consumer products capable of collecting neural data. While the medical applications can help people with Parkinson’s disease, paralysis or other neurological conditions, everyday consumer devices raise concerns about how emotional or cognitive information might be captured, used or shared without users fully understanding it.

UNESCO’s framework aims to ensure that this innovation happens responsibly. It warns against uses that could undermine autonomy or expose people to intrusive monitoring, particularly in workplaces or schools. It also calls for bans on non-therapeutic use of neurotechnology involving children, and stresses the need for explicit consent, transparency and safeguards for vulnerable communities.

Global framework for protection and accountability

The Recommendation urges governments to develop national regulations that protect mental privacy, ensure equitable access to therapeutic technologies and prevent misuse in commercial or employment settings. It highlights the risk of products that can influence behaviour or foster dependency, calling for clearer oversight and evidence-based evaluation.

The framework was shaped through consultations with more than 8,000 contributors from academia, industry and civil society, and drafted by an international expert group led by neuroscientist Hervé Chneiweiss and legal scholar Nita Farahany. It follows UNESCO’s earlier work on AI ethics, adopted in 2021, and will be supported by technical assistance to help countries incorporate the principles into national law.

A milestone in technology governance

UNESCO describes neurotechnology as a new frontier with significant potential for medical progress but also unprecedented risks to privacy and autonomy. The organisation’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, has emphasised that emerging technologies must be developed within clear ethical boundaries that protect the ‘inviolability of the human mind.’

The Recommendation’s adoption at UNESCO’s General Conference in Samarkand marks the first attempt to build global governance around neurotechnology, setting a baseline for how countries should approach safety, rights and accountability as the field continues to expand.