Next debate: Thur 6 Jan - This House believes privacy is no longer a social norm

DATE: Thursday, 6 January 2011

TIME: 7.30pm - 9.30pm

VENUE: Harcourt Arms, 32 Harcourt Street, W1H 4HX

MOTION: This House believes privacy is no longer a social norm

For most of living memory privacy has been a standard in our society. What people knew about you was limited, and only a limited number of people knew information about you. Even the ones who did know, didn't know everything. But now in the days of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, with the ability to broadcast our thoughts and feelings across the internet to everyone we know and those we don't, is this still the case? Has privacy ceased to be a normal value in society?

Who is right? You decide.

Further reading:

Facebook's Zuckerberg says the age of privacy is over (ReadWriteWeb)

Yahoo, Feds battle over email privacy (Wired)

Social media: privacy and security repercussions (SearchEngineWatch.com)

The European Commission is taking the UK to court for breaking EU rules on safeguarding internet privacy (Independent)

Why McNally may be wrong on privacy law (New Statesman)

Google's EU warning over Street View privacy (Telegraph)

Security breach: Google's admits copying household security passwords (Channel4News)

Information revelation and privacy in online social networks (The Electronic Society, 2005)

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 us 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.

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Best wishes
CLDS