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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
