The new ‘citizen’s’ nanotechnology website is French-language for now although the organizers are hoping to include English-, Spanish-, and Portuguese-language versions. The organization behind this public information effort is called the Citizen Alliance on ChallEnges of Nanotechnologies (CACEN) or Alliance Citoyenne sur les Enjeux des Nanotechnologies (ACEN).  From the news item on Nanowerk,

This website will be a place where we will gather questions and concerns about nanotechnologies that citizens and civil society want to raise, and collectively debate and resolve, even while some continue to argue that no regulation or control are possible — because of lack of data (often protected by industry trade secrets) and/or scientific debates about definitions of “nanoparticle” and “nanomaterial,” and scientific uncertainties on how to assess their toxicity, and how to adequately detect and monitor them.

The website offers a global approach on nanotechnologies, presenting the context in which they are developed, funded, and regulated (or not), by whom, and where.

It will open up the “black box” where decisions are being made, to empower civil society by offering resources on current and forthcoming actions, consultations and decision making processes.

Overall, the pluralistic approach of this website makes it unique and original: people involved in a range of environmental, health, and human rights NGOs are contributing.

There is more about the project in the news item where they also ask for help (financial and/or technical) to complete and update their website. I have taken a look at it and, for my taste, they’ve used very engaging visuals (single-line cartoon characters) and colours. At this point, they have five subject areas: Health, Environment, Economy, Ethics, and Democracy. I will have to pull out my dictionary and before going back for further exploration.