What are cognitive, neural and bio rights?

Cognitive, neural and bio rights refer to the basic rights of individuals to privacy, autonomy, and control over their own brain-derived data and mental processes. These rights aim to protect a person’s neural information, such as brain activity, thoughts, emotions, intentions, and other cognitive states, from unauthorized access, use, or manipulation.

These rights grow increasingly important as neurotechnology — including brain-computer interface devices and neural monitoring systems — becomes more widespread in both medical, consumer and government settings. They seek to safeguard mental privacy, cognitive liberty, and freedom from unwanted neural interference by governments, corporations, or other actors.

What is neural data?

Neural data is information generated from the monitoring, measurement, or analysis of the nervous system’s activity — particularly the brain and spinal cord — that can be processed by artificial intelligence using invasive or non-invasive technology. This can include brainwave patterns, neural signals, and other data about neural activity captured by nano sensors or external monitoring systems.

What is Colorado House Bill 24-1058?

Colorado House Bill 24-1058 is a first-of-its-kind law that expands the Colorado Privacy Act to include biological and neural data as “sensitive data.” This means that data derived from neural activity — such as outputs from neural sensors or similar devices — receives enhanced privacy protections under state consumer privacy law.

The bill recognizes that neural data is extremely sensitive and capable of revealing intimate personal information (e.g., health conditions, emotions, or cognitive states) and requires explicit consent for collection and use. It is designed to protect neural data collected outside traditional clinical settings — for example, by wearable neurotech or consumer brain-monitoring tools.

Do these protections apply nationwide?

Currently, HB 24-1058 applies only in Colorado as part of the state’s privacy law. However, it is considered a model for future legislation elsewhere in the U.S.; That is why Neural Justice aims to influence the remaining 49 states to implement similar legislation. Protection from these emerging technological advancements is critical for our cognitive and neural liberty moving forward.