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The EU discussion and work in progress to regulate and develop privacy enhancing
technologies must make good progress. There is a “need to incorporate ethical design
from the start. This requires a multidisciplinary approach that involves not only scientists
and technologists, but social scientists. For security RTD this is particularly important. …
(There is a need for) the introduction of features in ubiquitous sensor networks to
facilitate their removal when no longer required, and the enforcement of a minimum size”
(Morrison, 2007).
The real demand for new security technologies (whether nanotechnology based or not)
and non-technical options must be articulated in a public stakeholder debate. In such a
debate, there is a need “to effectively discriminate between measured security and
perceived security” (Morrison, 2007).
Care must be taken that new nanotechnology based security technologies respect
existing legislation and civil rights. There is a “need to respect the autonomy of citizens
and obtain consent with regard to protection of privacy, collection of data and its share
for security purposes (anti-terrorism, judicial use, etc)” (Morrison, 2007).
5.6 Conclusions
In this chapter on societal implications of nanotechnology based security technologies,
four questions have been discussed:
1. What is the existing regulatory and ethical framework relevant to nanotechnology
based security technologies?
The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, several European directives,
guidelines and international declarations cover legal and ethical aspects of
nanotechnology based security technologies.
The main issue currently in debate is a proper balance between the rights to liberty and
to security. Legislation and ethical guidelines for the protection of private and family life,
home and communications; personal data protection; and equality and nondiscrimination
must be taken into account.
For some applications, the right to physical and mental integrity; and prohibition of
degrading or inhuman treatment are valid.
All products must respect legislation aimed at protecting and enhancing environmental
quality and consumer protection.
Research must balance academic freedom with responsible science and technology
development. This includes a new balance between openness and handling classified
information for security technologies.
2. What impact on ethics and human rights is expected from new nanotechnology
based security technologies?
At present, potential impacts of nanotechnology based security technologies are still
unclear. Proponents of security research expect security improvements for the European
citizen, but they do not give evidence to corroborate this expectation. The eroding
boundary between civil and military research may lead to unexpected security risks.
Academic freedom and free trade may be restricted progressively. Some security
technologies may not respect privacy and personal data protection legislation.
3. What is known about European public opinion of nanotechnology and of justice,
freedom and security policies?
Many Europeans are more concerned with security than with privacy and freedom,
according to a number of Eurobarometer surveys, however public awareness of security
measures, security technologies and nanotechnology is low. This means that no
conclusions can be drawn from opinion poles about the acceptance of the security policies
or technologies used or under development.
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