DATE: Thursday 12 August 2010

TIME: 7.30pm - 9.30pm

VENUE: Harcourt Arms, 32 Harcourt Street W1H 4HX

MOTION: This House Believes the internet is the biggest threat to national security

Background:

China hacking into Google accounts, Julian Assanage revealing thousands of pages of classified documents on the war in Afghanistan, a single British citizen hacking into the Pentagon databases.

Is the internet now the biggest threat to national security? From partial bans on blackberries in the Middlle East to manhunts for whistleblowers and extradition trials for computer hackers here in the UK, governments across the world are clamping down on the internet.

Are they right to be so concerned and take such drastic action? You decide.

Join the debate:

There will be four speakers in this debate, each of whom will have five minutes to make their case. After that there will be an extensive Q&A session to allow the audience plenty of time to have their own say from the floor. The motion will then be put to a vote.

There's always plenty of time to grab a drink and get settled before the event starts and we always stick around for a few more once it's over as inevitably that is always when the real debating begins.

If you have any questions or need any more information, do not hesitate to email me at central.debating@gmail.com

Getting there:

If you would like to watch this debate, then simply come along on the night. You will find us in the upstairs dining room of the Harcourt Arms pub at 32, Harcourt Street W1H 4HX (a max 1o min walk from Baker St tube). For directions, see this map.

Admission:

Admission is, as ever, totally free of charge. All are welcome, so if you know anyone who might be interested in this debate, do feel free to bring them along.


Further reading:

Background to the motion:

1) What is Wikileaks? (BBC)

2) Google suspects China of cyber-attacks (AFP)

3) Proposed Blackberry ban criticised (CNET)


Arguments in favour:

4) A defence of state secrecy (Public Technology)

5) Wkileaks morally guilty (Reuters)

6) Cyber-war threat from China (Times)


Arguments against:

6) Cybercrime is not national security threat (Dark Government)

7) Al Qaeda biggest threat to national security (Times)

8) National security redefined by globalisation (Council for Foreign Relations)



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Best WishesTony