Debate topics
26 debate topics to argue with real people. Pick a side, then debate it live or by turns: six written arguments, 24 hours each.
Work 2
- Should the standard workweek drop to 4 days? Iceland and the UK ran large trials, and Belgium gave workers the legal right to a compressed 4-day week. Workers loved it, productivity... Yes, productivity and wellbeing both improve vs No, global competitiveness will collapse
- Should companies force employees back to the office? Five years after COVID, CEOs want everyone back at their desks. Workers are quitting over it. Who is right? Office is better for culture, mentorship, and output vs Remote work is more productive and more humane
Education 3
- Should higher education be free for everyone? Germany, Norway, and Finland offer free university. The US and UK saddle students with decades of debt. Is a university degree a public g... Free for all — education is a right, not a privilege vs Graduates should pay — taxpayers shouldn't fund others' careers
- Should smartphones be banned in schools? France banned phones in schools in 2018. The UK and many US states are following. Research shows phones hurt focus and fuel anxiety. But... Ban them — phones wreck concentration and mental health vs Keep them — phones are tools for safety and modern learning
- Should school uniforms be mandatory? Proponents say uniforms reduce bullying, cut costs, and improve focus. Critics argue they suppress individuality and self-expression. The... Yes — uniforms promote equality and reduce distractions vs No — let kids express themselves freely
Technology 2
- Should social media companies be held liable for harmful content? Misinformation, hate speech, and self-harm content flood platforms daily. Section 230 protects US tech giants from lawsuits. Should platf... Yes — platforms profit from harm and must be accountable vs No — liability would kill free speech and open platforms
- Should AI-generated work compete with human work? Art contests, journalism, music charts, and writing awards are all being flooded with AI submissions. Is this progress or theft? Allow it, AI is just a new creative tool vs Ban it, it devalues human creativity and labor
Society 4
- Ban social media for under-16s? Australia already did it. Studies link teen social media use to anxiety and depression, but kids say it's their lifeline. Who decides? Ban it, protect kids from harm vs Parents decide, not the government
- Are there only two genders? Gender is a topic that has been debated for years. Some people believe there are only two genders, while others believe gender can includ... Yes, there are only two genders vs No, there are more than two genders
- Should recreational drugs be fully legalised? Portugal decriminalised all drugs in 2001 and saw overdose deaths fall sharply in the following years. Canada and several US states legal... Legalise it — regulate, tax, and reduce harm vs Keep them illegal — legalisation increases addiction and social harm
- Ban shared e-scooters from city streets? Great for the last kilometre, terrible for pedestrians getting hit on sidewalks. Paris banned them. Ban them, they are a public hazard vs Keep them, they solve real mobility problems
Science 4
- Should gene editing in humans be allowed? CRISPR technology can eliminate hereditary diseases — but also engineer designer babies. A Chinese scientist already created gene-edited... Allow it — eradicating disease is a moral imperative vs Ban it — playing with human genetics is too dangerous
- Should space exploration be privately funded? SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic are racing to Mars and beyond. Should humanity's biggest frontier be led by billionaires with pr... Private companies drive innovation faster and cheaper vs Space is too important to be left to profit-driven corporations
- Should governments tax meat to cut consumption? Livestock produce 14.5% of global greenhouse emissions. Some economists want a "sin tax" on meat like we have on cigarettes. Climate nece... Tax it, the climate cost is real and urgent vs Hands off my plate, this is personal choice
- Is nuclear the answer to climate change? Zero carbon, massive output, but also Chernobyl and Fukushima in public memory. Should we build more reactors or shut them down? Scale nuclear aggressively, it's the only realistic clean baseload vs Too risky, too expensive, invest in renewables instead
Economy 3
- Should there be a global cap on personal wealth? The world's 10 richest men own more than the bottom 3.1 billion people combined. Some economists propose a billionaire cap or 100% tax ab... Cap it — extreme wealth is a societal failure, not a success vs No cap — wealth limits punish success and stifle ambition
- Future of money or biggest bubble in history? Bitcoin swings between record highs and deep crashes, governments keep cracking down, and retail investors keep getting wrecked. Which si... Crypto is the future of money vs Crypto is a speculative bubble that will crash
- UBI for everyone? As automation replaces jobs, some countries are piloting a guaranteed monthly payment for every adult, no strings attached. Lifeline or d... UBI is essential for the AI era vs UBI destroys work incentive and the economy
Ethics 2
- Should abortion be available to everyone? Should abortion be legal and accessible, and if so, up to what point? Where should the law draw the line? pro-choice vs pro-life
- Should the death penalty be abolished worldwide? About 55 countries still have the death penalty. Amnesty International calls it a violation of human rights. Supporters say it delivers j... Abolish it — the state should never take a life vs Keep it — some crimes deserve the ultimate punishment
Philosophy 2
- Does the existence of evil disprove an all-powerful, good God? If God is all-powerful and all-good, why does evil exist? Could God simply stop it, or is evil compatible with free will and a greater plan? Yes, evil disproves such a God vs No, evil is compatible with God
- Is there a God? Believers point to faith, meaning and the origin of the universe; skeptics point to the lack of evidence. Which side holds up better? God exists vs God does not exist
Politics 2
- Is being MAGA patriotic? Supporters see MAGA as putting America and its citizens first; critics see it as undermining democratic norms and institutions. Is it pat... Yes, MAGA is patriotic vs No, MAGA is not patriotic
- Should voting be mandatory for all citizens? Australia has compulsory voting with fines for non-voters. Turnout hits 90%+. Should democracies worldwide make voting a legal obligation... Yes, voting is a civic duty and should be required vs No, voting should remain a free and personal choice