Debate Topics

We have provided an extensive list of debate topics to get you started. Motions always start with ‘This house…’ which really just means ‘We, the team who are speaking…’ Motions are tagged to give an idea of what levels they are best for. Look out for our ‘Debate Hub favourite’ tag!

This House believes that schools should be able to completely reimagine plays and musicals for school productions

This House Regrets the increased prominence of large streaming platforms (eg. Disney+, Apple, Netflix) creating and distributing their own films and TV series

This House would Ban Korean entertainment companies from entering into contracts with minors (including but not limited to debuts, traineeship etc.)

This House Regrets the datafication of Modern Music

This House would ban Whaling in gaming

This House would require all social media accounts to disclose the identity of the person or organisation behind the account

This House believes that offensive comedy does more harm than good

This House regrets the popularity of Mr. Beast

This House regrets the aesthetization of suffering (e.g. Lana Del Ray, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo)

This House believes that storytellers should focus on developing traditional villains rather than twist villains

This House regrets the decline of ‘Consensus Media’ (news organisations that were consumed on mass within communities)

This House prefers a world with no advertising to the Status Quo

This House, as a political activist, would not appear on ‘opinion networks’ (such as Fox News, GB news, etc.) that you disagree with

This House believes that social movements should advocate for the use of ‘Malicious Compliance’

This House believes that the widespread media attention on Roy and Silo (the penguins) did more harm than good for the LGBT+ community.

This House would ban music with violent lyrics

This House would ban all advertising

This House would scrap all government arts funding

This House would not consume art created by people who have committed deeply immoral acts

This house believes that activist groups should prioritise a strong social media presence over their physical presence

This house regrets the media showing photos of drowned asylum seekers

This house would ban the broadcast of any terrorist-provided hostage footage

This house believes that the government should censor the media during times of war

This house would ban the use of child actors

This house would ban ads targeted at children

This house believes that film and television studios should significantly increase the number of female villains in their productions

This house opposes TikTok

This house regrets dominant narratives of good triumphing over evil in children’s fiction

This house believes traditional news organisations should not have an opinion section

This house regrets the rise of citizen journalism

This house would never televise trials

This house regrets the popularity of ‘soldiers coming home’ videos

This house regrets the rise of anti-heroes

This house regrets the rise of reality TV

This house, as a progressive billionaire who has decided to spend considerable sums on improving the media, would fund progressive rather than objective media

This house believes the portrayel of autistic genius characters in media has done more harm than good

This house believes K Pop has done more harm than good

This house believes all citizens should have to pass a general knowledge test to be able to vote

This house believes social media does more harm than good

This house believes it is immoral to be an Instagram model