Sure, we all do. Cognitive liberty—or freedom of thought—is essential for the human experience. But recent advances in neurotechnology could threaten this last domain of privacy.

In the safety of our own minds we can dream, fantasize, love, and pray without fear of judgment or persecution. We can mentally escape oppressors, come up with new inventions, meditate, and engage in a myriad of imaginative endeavors regardless of what is happening around us. But what if our thoughts, in all their complexities, could be translated to a screen and broadcast to others?

Mind-reading technology is no longer science fiction—it is already happening now in the medical sector. Brain-computer interfaces are helping patients with “locked in” conditions like paralysis to translate thoughts to a screen directly from cognitive activity, bypassing motor movement. Neural implants have successfully treated depression, OCD, epilepsy, and a variety of other conditions.

As a side note, I’m fascinated by a new smartwatch that can monitor and predict the onset of bipolar mood swings. And taking it a step further, what if a neural implant could eventually cure me entirely? Would I be willing to sacrifice some cognitive liberty to improve my health? What if my treatment plan required it?

We haven’t even discussed the ethics of brain-monitoring technology in the military, prisons, the workplace, and schools. Nor have we covered the possibility of neurohackers—the bad actors who would digitally intercept our private thoughts for their own personal gain.

Can’t forget those.