Changing Notions of Privacy in a Nano-Oriented World
In most discussions of nanotechnology and privacy, scholars point to the ability of nanotechnology to collect information now regarded as private. Nanotechnology is likely to change what types of information are collected and the ways they are collected, allowing new kinds of information to be gathered and transmitted. For example, nanoscience provides the technology to create infinitely smaller components for electronic equipment such as digital cameras, computers, and voice recorders. With substantially smaller surveillance technologies, nano-sensors in the body, for example, may collect and transmit a variety of health-related information, perhaps in real-time.A deeper look suggests that nanotechnology will do much more than provide new means to monitor individuals and groups. Nanotechnology is also likely to change notions of privacy itself, especially people's expectations of what information is private, who is obligated to protect private information, and under what circumstances private information may become public. Consider the future possibility of ambient health monitoring in public places—nanotechnology that would detect, in public spaces, individuals who might be infected with hazardous pathogens. Is a nanoparticle inhaled in a public space an invasion of privacy? How are the privacy implications of such technology to be weighed against public concerns over pandemic threats such as bird influenza?
New technical capabilities are likely to change the balance between public and private concerns, thus changing expectations and perhaps even the definition of privacy itself. Consider a second example: possible nanotechnology that might assess gene sequences to determine susceptibility to chemicals in a work environment. A version of this technology already exists, and some companies have mandated that their employees submit to genetic testing. For example, small amounts of chemicals exist in some work environments, and while these chemicals are not usually hazardous, they may create the possibility of birth defects. What is the appropriate balance between privacy in terms of a person's genetic information and other concerns?
Another important aspect beyond the direct effects of nanotechnology on privacy is the increased scope and amount of private information collected, which can be integrated in unexpected ways. For example, separate sets of information, once integrated, may allow deduction of information that is regarded as private.
Careful attention is needed for discussions about the issue of private information collected and transmitted by means of nanotechnology .
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