Can I add my own motions?

Yes — type them into the panel, one per line. Your motions are drawn alongside the built-in ones, though they will not have the pre-written For and Against.

Can I save the board?

Yes — save the chalked board as a PNG, or turn on automatic download to grab one every time.

Debate Topic Picker

Today's motion

Tap below for a motion

Edit the topics

One per line — remove any, or add your own. The board chalks a random one each time (built-in topics come with their extra detail).

Beat the awkward silence and get straight to arguing. Tap Chalk a motion — the board cycles through debate topics and lands on a random one, with a quick For and Against to get both sides moving. Perfect for debate clubs, English lessons and dinner-table stand-offs.

18 topics
For class & clubs
A fresh topic each time

Pick a side and argue it

The Debate Topic Picker chalks a random motion onto the board — and unlike a plain list, it hands you a quick For and Against so both sides can start straight away. No more ten minutes lost to "what should we even debate?"

Why a random motion beats a blank page

The hardest part of any debate is choosing the motion — and the moment you pick your own, someone claims it's unfair. A random draw settles that instantly and fairly. Use it to run a debate club, warm up an English or public-speaking lesson, practise arguing a side you don't agree with, or just to spark a proper dinner-table stand-off.

For and against, built in

Every built-in motion lands with a one-line case for each side, so nobody is stuck staring at the ceiling. Assign the sides at random too, and the weaker debater always learns the most: arguing a position you personally reject is the fastest way to understand it. Add your own motions in the panel — they'll spin in alongside the built-in ones.

The motions on the board

Motion	Theme
Phones should be banned in schools	Technology · Society
University should be free	Education · Economy
Voting should be compulsory	Politics · Ethics
Social media does more harm than good	Technology · Health
AI will do more good than harm	Technology · Ethics
Zoos should be banned	Ethics · Environment
Space exploration is worth the cost	Science · Economy
Nuclear power is the answer to climate change	Environment · Science
Everyone should be vegetarian	Environment · Ethics
Billionaires should not exist	Economy · Ethics
Exams are a fair way to measure ability	Education
Editing human genes should be allowed	Science · Ethics

…plus six more, and any you add yourself — 18 motions in all.

Fair, and free

Each motion is drawn with a cryptographically fair random pick, so no side of the room can accuse the other of stacking the deck. Looking for other prompts? Try the Essay Topic Picker to get writing, or the Presentation Topic Picker for a talk.

Frequently asked questions

Eighteen ready-made motions across society, technology, ethics, education, the environment and the economy — and you can add as many of your own as you like.

Each built-in motion comes with a one-sentence case for each side, to get both teams started. They're a springboard, not the whole argument — the good stuff is what you add.

Yes — type them into the panel, one per line. Your motions are drawn alongside the built-in ones (they simply won't have the pre-written For and Against).

It's built for it — teachers and club leaders use it to assign motions fairly, run impromptu rounds, and get students arguing a side they didn't choose.

Yes. The board draws with your browser's cryptographically secure random generator, so every motion has an exactly equal chance.

Yes — save the chalked board as a PNG, or tick "Download after each reveal" to grab one automatically every time.

Randomly is best — flip a coin per team. Arguing the side you disagree with builds the sharpest thinking and the most empathy for the other view.

Completely free, with no sign-up. Draw as many motions as you like, on any device.

Debate Topic Picker