WATERLOO,ON—A few consumers are questioning whether Google’s hugely popular brain implants should raise concerns about personal privacy.
Marcia Reynolds, a product analyst for the Consumer Interest Research Group (CIRG), said yesterday that a handful of consumers have expressed some slight worry about the new Google Biochip, which already connects forty-million users to the internet wirelessly, via their brains.
“As you know, by and large, people love their Google implants,” said Reynolds. “But a few are starting to wonder whether having their brains constantly connected to the world-wide-web might come with maybe a couple privacy issues attached.”
A leading voice among the twelve people concerned is blogger Benjamin Grotto, 25. “I just think we should pause for a moment and consider what’s actually going on,” said Grotto, who waited outside a Best Buy three days for the Biochip’s initial release. “If we can send and receive information through our brains now, you’ve got to wonder if maybe our personal privacy is somehow affected.”
Grotto added, “I’m no expert. It just seems like it’s worth looking into.”
The Google brain implants have access to users’ innermost thoughts, desires, and fears. According to some privacy advocates, this should raise some warning flags.
At a press conference, Reynolds said, “We’re not trying to imply that personal information is currently being stolen, or provided to advertisers. We’re simply speculating, along with about a dozen other discerning consumers, whether or not such privacy breaches might perhaps possibly be some kind of potential concern in the future.”
Cross posted at The Smew