1.5 Legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues

• What year was the Data Protection Act enacted?

  1998
• What are ethics concerned with in a community?

  Values and their impact on different groups of people
• How do morals differ from ethics?

  Morals relate to personal conduct, while ethics concern community values
• Why is it important to consider the implications of computers in our lives?

  Because they affect moral, ethical, environmental, social, and cultural aspects
• What is a key impact of computers on businesses?

  Improved efficiency
• How have companies like Amazon and Effidence utilized machines?

  To reduce delivery times and speed up manufacturing processes
• What are the consequences of using computers in the workforce?

  They can lead to job loss and structural unemployment
• What types of information does the Data Protection Act 1998 apply to?


  Information stored on computers and in organised paper filing systems
• What must governments do to mitigate the effects of computerization on employment?

  Invest in retraining programs for displaced workers
• Which jobs have been most affected by computerization?

  Middle-income manufacturing jobs
• What is a major downside of a highly computerized workplace?

  High dependence on computers leading to loss of output if they fail
• What has increased the demand for computing-related occupations?

  Increased computerization in the workplace
• How has the Internet changed the services offered by businesses?

  It has led to a rise in online services like shopping and banking
• What are the environmental implications of increased technological device production?

  More e-waste and higher electricity consumption
• What is classified as personal data under the Data Protection Act?


  Any data that can be used to identify a living person
• What is a significant ethical concern regarding automated decision-making?

  It may lead to unfair treatment of individuals
• What is the role of algorithms in automated decision-making?

  To make decisions based on data analysis
• How can algorithmic decision-making improve productivity?

  By allowing faster hiring processes and decision-making
• What ethical questions arise from algorithmic decision-making in driverless cars?

  Who should be harmed in an unavoidable accident and who is responsible?
• What is artificial intelligence (AI)?

  The ability of a computer to replicate human intelligence
• How is AI used in medicine?

  In expert systems to draw connections between illnesses for diagnoses
• What are expert systems also known as?

  Knowledge-based systems
• What do neural networks do?

  They learn from data and apply knowledge to new data sets
• What is a data subject?


  An individual who can be identified by personal data
• What is a common application of AI in smart home systems?

  Voice recognition systems
• What privacy concerns are associated with AI in smart home systems?

  They require constant activation to function
• What environmental issues arise from the disposal of e-waste?

  Toxic components can contaminate water supplies
• What is the impact of non-renewable fossil fuel consumption on the environment?

  It contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming
• What is a consequence of the throw-away attitude towards technological devices?

  Increased e-waste and environmental degradation
• How does the consumption of technology affect future generations?

  It impacts their environment and biodiversity
• What are the key implications of computerization in society?

  • Moral implications
  • Ethical considerations
  • Environmental impacts
  • Social effects
  • Cultural changes
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using computers in the workforce?

  Advantages:

  • Improved efficiency
  • Reduced delivery times
  • Lower unit labor costs
  • Reduced strain on workers

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Job loss and structural unemployment
  • High dependence on technology
• What are the ethical concerns surrounding automated decision-making?

  • Potential for unfair treatment
  • Lack of consideration for contextual factors
  • Responsibility for algorithmic decisions
• What are the eight specific ways the Data Protection Act protects data subjects?


  1. Processed fairly and lawfully
  2. Obtained for specified and lawful purposes
  3. Adequate, relevant, and not excessive
  4. Accurate and kept up to date
  5. Not kept longer than necessary
  6. Processed in accordance with data subjects' rights
  7. Protected against unauthorized processing and accidental loss
  8. Not transferred outside the European Economic Area without adequate protection
• What are the environmental effects of increased technological device production?

  • Increased e-waste
  • Toxic components contaminating water
  • Higher electricity consumption
  • Contribution to global warming
• What toxic materials are found in some computer components?

  Mercury and radioactive isotopes
• Why is e-waste disposal considered immoral and unacceptable?

  Because it is often shipped to third world countries with lower environmental standards
• What is the impact of increased electricity consumption on the environment?

  It contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases and global warming
• How has the rate of climate change changed recently?

  The rate of climate change has accelerated over the past year
• What are the potential long-term effects of our consumption on the planet?

  It will impact future generations and biodiversity