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Charlie Beckett

October 20th, 2008

Content For Free? Learn to love Big Brother

1 comment

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Charlie Beckett

October 20th, 2008

Content For Free? Learn to love Big Brother

1 comment

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Why should the Internet be free? All those new software programmes and those big servers all cost money. And if you want content don’t you think someone should be rewarded?

But what with? Monetising the Internet is tough because web surfers don’t like to pay an entry fee or a cover price. They don’t particularly look at banner adverts and those little pre-roll videos are seen with great irritation. So how about trading your privacy?

bazalgette_peter.jpgMedia entrepreneur Peter Bazalgette was the man who brought Big Brother to Britain and thence to the world. He wants the Internet to be a place where creative people can profit.

In a speech to Polis he will argue that we should trade our right to Online privacy as the price for providing the incredible riches of the Internet. We should give a bit of personal information to retailers and service providers so they can sell us stuff. But he fears that the Government’s obsession with monitoring online terrorism may put the public off this happy arrangement.

Gus Hosein, who is a visiting fellow at the LSE and Privacy International will be arguing against.

The debate is in the New Theatre, Houghton Street at 5.00-7.00. Email us at polis@lse.ac.uk to reserve a seat.

About the author

Charlie Beckett

Posted In: Media | Research

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