Supporting rights and privacy alongside electronic surveillance

An EU project is working to strike a balance between security required for citizen and state protection and respect for human rights and privacy.

Electronic surveillance today is ubiquitous and commonly accepted. One reason is that the EU and various national governments foster such technology for protection against terrorism and other threats. However, surveillance systems have already converged to become networked information systems, potentially threatening civil liberties and privacy. EU policymakers have acknowledged the problem in the Stockholm Programme, which tries to restore balance and add a layer of ethical oversight. The EU-funded project 'Supporting fundamental rights, privacy and ethics in surveillance technologies' (SAPIENT) will support policymakers, specifying conditions for use and verification of 'smart' surveillance.

Further information: cordis.europa.eu