Eng 6 - Magna Carta - my digital rights

For about two weeks, starting Thursday March 19, we will work with the British Library's current activity: Magna Carta - my digital rights. What does it entail? You are to have debates about different topics related to the internet and the rights and responsibilies that come with it. The topics are all from The British Library's present project "Magna Carta - My Digital Rights" and you will at the end of each debate agree on a clause that you want to be included in the Magna Carta for the digital age.

We will have a look at, and compare, the Magna Carta (1215), the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). You can find them here:

Magna Carta

The clauses of Magna Carta explained

The Declaration of Independence

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights


But, before we dig into these legal documents we will watch short films about each of them, slightly easier to digest than the written texts.

What is Magna Carta?

Magna Carta 800 years

The Continental Congress

Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights


Each debate topic will be introduced by a short film from the British Library, and you are to choose what you want to debate and on which side you want to be. NB. You do not have to argue your own point of view, so everyone should realise the opinions stated in the debates may not be personal. Here are the topics and introductory films (they will be shown in class):

Prisoners right to use the internet

Internet - a human right?

The Web in times of crisis

Should schools censor the internet?

Cyberbullying and the freedom of speech