Thomas Barlow - Cyber Warfare and Cyber Security

SUMMARY:
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Still energised and a little unnerved after Dr Thomas Barlow’s talk on cyber warfare and cyber security. I’ve long admired Barlow — a brilliant Australian research strategist, author of the Barlow Report and The Australian Miracle — and tonight he blended wit, authority and urgent common sense. He reminded the audience that every step forward in technology brings both huge benefits and newly practical ways to do harm: spears made hunting easier and murder more efficient; money made trade possible and theft inevitable; today’s digital systems make vast wealth portable to a hacker in another country. His core message is clear and uncomfortably realistic — human nature and incentives mean cybercrime and cyber warfare are unavoidable unless we design better systems, smarter policy and stronger public debate. He calls for Australians to lift our research, resilience and governance, not to retreat in fear. This talk is essential viewing for anyone in tech, policy or simply worried about privacy and safety online. It’s thoughtful, sharp and utterly relevant.

RUMBLE DESCRIPTION:
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I filmed Dr Thomas Barlow delivering a clear, entertaining and often sobering talk about cyber warfare and cyber security. If you know Barlow’s work you’ll recognise the mix of big-picture optimism and hard-headed realism: technology transforms lives but it also creates new incentives for theft, sabotage and strategic conflict. He walks through simple historical analogies (spears, money) to explain why every transformational tool can be weaponised, and why we should not be surprised — only better prepared.

This clip captures his main arguments: the inevitability of misuse, the scale of modern digital incentives (a hacker in Budapest can reach money stored as data), and the urgent need for improved defence, smarter policy and a national conversation about resilience. He’s speaking to researchers, industry, government and everyday citizens — because the solutions will need all of us. There’s also good humour and direct advice about what Australia should do next: invest in research, strengthen institutions, design systems with security in mind, and foster public debate rather than panic.

If you care about tech policy, national security, or simple online safety, hit play. Tell me below which point you found most persuasive, and share this with friends or colleagues in tech and government. Subscribe for more talks on Australian innovation, research policy and the future of knowledge — plenty more to come.

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