In this summary page you will find:
Please feel free to send your comments on the debate to wcitcomments@sciteb.com which may be posted in a comments section.
David was, until the end of the month, Chairman of Microsoft UK and VP of Microsoft EMEA. He is particularly interested in the ways IT can enhance and develop the UK's business potential. Through Microsoft's educational business interests and indirectly through charitable pursuits, he encourages the support of education by IT, and the evolution of the IT curriculum within schools and colleges. He is Joint Chairman of the Corporate Development Board of the NSPCC an Honorary Member of the NSPCC Council, a Trustee for Campaign for Learning and an active member of the CBI. David enjoys relaxing by distance running, playing golf and reading. He also takes a keen interest in current affairs and politics. He is married and has two sons and is a Liveryman of the WCIT.
A copy of the text of the presentation is avaliable here. (link to be added when confirmed release by speaker)
Harold Thimbleby is Professor of Computing at Middlesex University, London. He is married and has four children, all of whom use the internet. Harold himself has used networks and computers for 31 years, starting well before the internet was around. His primary concern is making computers better for people, and you can find out more about him at www.cs.mdx.ac.uk/harold. He is a co-author of Cybernauts Awake! (www.cybernautsawake.net) a Freeman of the WCIT and a member of its Religious and Spiritual Development Panel.
Elizabeth France gently chided him because he gives out much more personal information on his website than the Data Protection Registrar recommends - although acknowldging that it was his free right to do so if he choses.
A copy of the text of his presentation is available here.
A press release prepared by the WCIT summarised the colloquium in the following terms:
The IT industry must respect the personal information provided by those using the internet. However this will only happen if an informed public ensures that the industry is held accountable for the way in which personal information is used.
The issue of personal privacy was one of the key subjects debated at last week's Colloquium on the Ethical and Spiritual Implications of the Internet, hosted by the WCIT (Worshipful Company of Information Technologists) and the Bishop of Southwark at the House of Lords.
David Svendsen stressed the importance the public having the right to choose who accesses their personal information. On balance the colloquium took the view that trying to develop specific legislation was unlikely to be successful given the rapid pace of technological change. However if pressure from the general public was to be an effective defence against the misuse of personal information, this would in turn require increased awareness of such issues as the use of 'cookies' and similar technology, which were already providing personal information, often without the knowledge or consent of those using the internet.
The importance of publicising these issues was strongly endorsed by Lord Jenkin, Chair of the Select Committee on Science and Society. Lord Jenkin expressed his surprise and concern that this Colloquium was the first forum where he had heard these subjects being discussed, and he welcomed the Colloquium's role in raising the profile of these highly significant issues.
Prof Harold Thimbleby argued that it was easy to be dazzled by the 'false god' of technical progress to the point where ethical judgement was distorted. He suggested that the key question to consider was not "Is technology good?" but rather "How are we going to do good?"
This point was supported by Ian Bruce MP who pointed out the fallacy of aiming just to increase the level of activity on the internet rather than focusing on whether the quality of services would actually be improved by making such a change.
The following participants were registered to attend (although a few of them did not make it on the night).
Azeem Azhar, CEO, eSouk.com
Nicholas Beale, Chairman, WCIT Religious & Spiritual Development Panel, Director,
Sciteb, co-author Cybernauts
Awake!
Dr Margot Blunden-Willms, Court Liveryman WCIT and Director, EPIRC
Baroness Brigstoke, PITCOM
Ian Bruce MP, House of Commons
Prof Derek Burke CBE, Chairman, Cybernauts
Awake! working party
Bp Tom Butler CEng, Bishop of Southwark and host of the colloquium.
Theresa Byrne, Secretary - WoW Committee, Catholic Bishops Conference co-author
Cybernauts Awake!
John Carrington, Junior Warden, WCIT
George Cranmer, Director, GCA
Peter Cropper, Master, WCIT
Gill Davies, Clerk, WCIT
Tricia Drakes, Deputy Master, WCIT
Penny Duquenoy, University of Middlesex
David Edwards, Trust Manager, WCIT
Rev Tom Gillum, Vicar, St Stephen's Westbourne Park Road
Carol Gourlay, Wordsatwork
Sergey Grecheskin, Head of e-incubator, KPMG
Dominic Grieve MP, Frontbench Spokesman on Constitutional Affairs and host of
the Dinner afterwards.
Eric Hepburn, Member, WCIT
Timothy Hackworth OBE, Counsellor for Mature Candidates, BCS and Secretary,
WCIT Religous & Spiritual Development Panel
Patrick Harris, Ambassador of Strategy, Orange plc
Penny Howell, Member RSD Panel, WCIT
Rt. Hon. Lord Jenkin of Roding, PITCOM
Mark Lubbock, Solicitor, Ashurst Morris Crisp
Kara Miller, CEO, Quitsmokinguk.com
Paul Morgan, UK Quality Director, Philips Electronics (UK)
David Morriss, Member RSD Panel, WCIT
James Oliver, Lastorders.com
Prof Simon Peyton Jones, Researcher, Microsoft Research, co-author Cybernauts
Awake!
Prof Simon Rogerson, De Montfort University
Ernesto Schmitt, peoplesound.com
Jenny Searle, Project Director ISI, DTI
David Strachan, Head of Markets and Compliance Division, FSA
Yin Leng Theng, University of Middlesex
Paul Valler, UK HR & F&A Director, Hewlett Packard
Philip Virgo, Financial Executive, PITCOM
Peter Walker, Director, Technology, OFTEL
Rupert Warwick, PR, FPH
Brian White, MP, House of Commons
An initial note of the points made in the discussion is here. We hope to have longer and more comprehensive notes available soon.