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Some NGO’s have expressed concern about health, safety and environmental aspects of
engineered nanomaterials and applications in sensitive consumer products such as
cosmetics, washing machines and food. Other NGO’s are concerned about privacy and
human rights aspects of the information society, or with (military) arms control and
disarmament. No NGO appears to have taken a position explicitly mentioning
nanotechnology based security technologies.
4. What are the key issues for further research in social sciences and humanities,
public debate and political decision making based on the analysis in this chapter?
ESRAB (2006) recommends research into ‘ethical aspects of security technologies’ and a
‘review of existing codes of conduct, best practices, etc. as to the ethical use of security
technologies and to develop new ones where shortfalls exist’. These are relevant to
security applications of nanotechnology.
Research in social sciences and humanities must also contribute to the development of
new Privacy Enhancing Technologies, and on criteria for assessing if new technologies
respect citizens’ rights and current legislation. Such research must also enable early
identification of a need for new or adapted legislation.
Public debate must be organized to articulate public acceptance of security measures,
technologies and nanotechnologies.
Political decision-making must focus on developing new European regulations for
handling classified information in EU funded projects, and for regulating and
standardising Privacy Enhancing Technologies. There is a need for a more fundamental
debate about the right balance between civil and security research and technologies, in
order to avoid unnecessary constraints on academic and trade freedom.
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