[AI Ethics in Film] Virtual Reality and Neuroethics

Using Meta’s sEMG wrist device and VR examples, the piece argues that when gestures and biometric signals are used to drive digital commands and content, user autonomy can be destabilized.

Examples like the rubber-hand illusion show that the self and bodily perception are more malleable than we think, and immersive systems can subtly shift who feels in control.

The article argues that mental privacy and cognitive liberty should be treated as rights, and points to Chile’s related laws and court rulings as evidence of this trend.

Its core warning is that when brain and muscle signals merge with adaptive systems, they can influence not just behavior prediction but the choice environment itself, demanding stronger safeguards and ethics.