educating politicians science and the media cambridge march 2003 bill thompson bill@andfinally.com

Educating Politicians

Science and the MediaCambridgeMarch 2003

Bill Thompsonbill@andfinally.com

What we’ll cover

Why bother educating politicians What objectives are reasonable Where to apply the pressure What can be achieved Questions/Discussion

How it fits in

This week you will look at – Getting attention– How the media work– Dealing with general audiences– Getting the respect of your peers

Here we consider – How to reach those with power

Who Am I

Programmer and developer– C, Unix, databases

Journalist, broadcaster, writer– BBC, Guardian, Internet, etc

Activist and opinion-former

Bill on Google

Policy making

Advisor to Labour MP Anne Campbell– Built her Website (1994)– “Britain’s most wired MP”

Labour Party Policy – Communicating Britain’s Future (1996)– Nexus: Virtual Think Tank

Encryption policy– Foundation for Information Policy Research– Institute for Public Policy Research

Politicians: why bother?

Scientific research has to be paid for– Public funding– Private funding

Need support from politicians– Provide funding– Create a suitable environment

Positive: encourage research Negative: no laws to stop research

Education

Help decision-makers understand– Basic science– Technologies and applications– Implications – ethical, social, economic

Influence priorities– Funds are not limitless– Determine what gets pushed

Resist bad law– Stop stupid things happening

Why do it yourselves?

Can’t leave it to the media– Their own agenda– Their own interests

Can’t just debate in public– By then it’s often too late

Need to ensure scientists engage– Get the facts right– Get the priorities right– Get the context right

Know your goals

Can’t do it all– Decide what matters

Focus on achievable outcomes– Resist diluting your impact

Be satisfied with small gains– You won’t ever get it all

Decide what matters

Get more funding Remove restrictions Raise profile Avoid stupidity Influence legislation

– Promote– Block

Promote wider understanding

Achievable outcomes

Hard to change existing policy– Governments don’t like looking weak

Can shift focus and emphasis– Doesn’t look like real change

Better to get in early– Make the right decisions first

How governments work

Legislature/Parliament Executive/Government Judiciary Civil service Advisors Agencies All matter, all are different

How science policy works

Advisory councils Scientific panels Expert committees Senior civil servants Ministers and MPs

Office of Science and Technology

Scientific Advisors

POST

Do your research

Charles Clarke (Education)– Cambridge mathematician– Doesn’t need to be taught statistics

Know who you’re talking to– Talk at the right level– Start from proper place– Don’t patronise or intimidate

Think long term

Things happen slowly If it’s a crisis it’s too late for education

– Employ some PR people and spin doctors Prepare for setbacks

– Don’t get irritated– Learn and regroup

Smoke filled rooms

It’s a cliché – but there is some basis– Early influence counts– Public debate usually happens later– Private meetings and seminars make a

difference Decide where and when you will engage

– May need to trade openness for influence

Making a difference

What are your goals? Who can deliver them?

– Find the pressure points– Concentrate your energy– Don’t be distracted by PR

Don’t look for publicity– Effective work usually happens in the

background

Set achievable goals

Do not aim too high– It takes time– Politicians don’t learn quickly

Understand the constraints– Room for manoeuvre can be limited– Knowing more may not change policy

More than just money

But don’t ignore the money!– Funding priorities

Public policy implications– Science does not stand alone

Gene science Artificial intelligence Weapons research

Education system

Solve problems

Politicians like people who bring solutions– Not people who present problems

Position yourself as a solution– Offer advice– Troubleshoot

Spot coming problems– Allow enough time for good decision-making

Build relationships

It’s not about quick fixes– Need long term engagement– Work with people over long period

Accept the slow pace– Things will change over time

Build respect– Earn trust by moving slowly– Establish a track record

Not in a vacuum

Education is part of change– Attitudes will follow

Give them a reason to know– It’s simpler for them not to engage

Put knowledge in context– Explain why knowing this will help

Crisis

Politicians learn fast in a crisis– Usually it is too late

Deep understanding requires time– Necessary for good decision making

Once it’s a crisis you need PR– Not education

Example: Crypto

Encryption: – using maths and programming to hide

information Core technologies

– Public key cryptography– Public key infrastructure– Digital signatures

Widely available technology

Crypto policy

Police dislike crypto– Used by criminals to keep secrets– Makes tapping/surveillance hard

So?– 1993: US Govt tried to introduce Clipper chip– Proposals for key escrow– 1996: UK Govt proposes ‘trusted third parties’– 1997: Labour government forced to abandon

TTP proposals

Crypto regulation in UK

1999: Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill

2002: RIP Act 2002: Access to communication data

– Proposals made– Proposals withdrawn– Feb 2003: revised proposals

2003: EUCD – Europe’s DMCA

My involvement

1995/6: Labour policy 1998/9: FIPR; Stand 2002: ippr

Lessons

It takes a long time You never win forever Sometimes small changes are all that

you can achieve The space for debate can shift Sacrifices are necessary Opportunism is vital

– “chance favours the prepared mind” (Pasteur)

Conclusion

Education works– But it is not dramatic

Long term programmes are effective– Need commitment and foresight

Good politicians will engage

Questions/Discussion