Impacts of Digital Technology 1.6

• What are the ways technology impacts us?

  • Ethical issues: Right or wrong
  • Legal issues: Legal or illegal
  • Cultural issues: Interactions with others
  • Environmental issues: The world around us
  • Privacy issues: Shared or kept to ourselves
• What are the three laws relating to computer science?

  • Data Protection Act
  • Computer Misuse Act
  • Copyright Designs and Patents Act
• What does the data protection act do?

  Protects personal data.
• Due to the Data Protection Act, information must be what?

  • Used lawfully, fairly and transparently
  • Used for specified, explicit purposes
  • Adequate, relevant and limited
  • Accurate and kept up-to-date
  • Kept for no longer than necessary
  • Protected against unlawful or unauthorised processing, access, loss
• According to the Data Protection Act, what do users have the right to what?

  • Be informed how data is being used
  • Access personal data
  • Have incorrect data corrected
  • Have data erased
  • Stop or restrict processing or portability of data
• What process must you go through to access data?

  1. Make a written request to company
  2. Within a month, they have to respond with copy of data or explanation for a delay in data retrieval
• When can organisations withhold data when asked for it?

  If information is about:

  • Prevention, detection, investigation of crime
  • National security or armed forces
  • Assessment or collection of tax
  • Judicial or ministerial appointments
• Does an organisation have to say why they are withholding information?

  No
• What does the Computer Misuse Act do?

  Makes it illegal for anyone to break into a computer system or to change programs or data without permission.
• What are some offences under the Computer Misuse Act?

  • Unauthorised access to computer
  • Unauthorised access to computer to commit another offence
  • Unauthorised acts that impair operation of computer
  • Making or supplying tools that can be used in computer misuse offence like viruses
  • Unauthorised acts causing serious damage
• What does the Copyright Designs and Patents Act do?

  Gives an individual or organisation right to control a piece of original work.
• What does the Copyrights Designs and Patents Act make illegal?

  • Copy, modify, distribute someone else’s work without owner’s permission
  • ICT business stealing methods and ideas of other ICT businesses
• What are the two types of software licences?

  • Open source
  • Proprietary software
• What is the purpose of software licences?

  Developers release software under licences and allows users to use not own the software if they agree to licence terms.
• What are the features of open source software?

  • Users can modify and distribute software
  • Be installed on any number of computers
  • Support provided by community
  • Users have access to view and modify source code
  • May not be fully tested
• What are the features of proprietary software?

  • Protected by Copyright
  • Paid for and licensed per user or per computer
  • Supported by developers
  • Users don‘t get access to view or modify source code
  • Tested by developers prior to release
  • Purchased commonly as off-the-shelf
• Give examples of open source software.

  • Linux
  • Firefox
• Give examples of proprietary software.

  • Microsoft Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
• What is the digital divide?

  Refers to unequal access to technology, which causes gaps in education, work opportunities and social connections.
• How has technology affected work and education?

  Enabled flexible remote working and online learning but blurred work-life boundaries.
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of AI?

  Can boost efficiency, but automation may replace human jobs and raise concern over fairness and accountability.
• What can AI systems reflect?

  Human bias if trained on unfair data, leading to discrimination in areas like hiring or surveillance.
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of self-driving cars?

  Could be safer and more convenient but raise ethical question about blame if an accident was to occur.
• What do some governments and platforms do to online content? What does this limit?

  Restrict or censor it. Limits freedom of expression or promotes certain political agenda.
• What does technology make it easy for us to do? What issues does it raise?

  Create and share content, raises issues with copyright, plagiarism and legal ownership of digital data.
• What does constantly manufacturing new devices lead to?

  Consumes energy and raw materials, contributing to pollution and carbon emissions.
• What harm to old devices have on the environment? Why is that?

  Build up on landfills, creating harmful e-waste and pollution. Computers are hard to recycle due to the mix of materials.
• What is e-waste?

  Discarded electrical or electronics devices.
• What does planned redundancy lead to?

  Increased electronic waste and resource consumption.
• What is planned redundancy?

  Releasing a new phone every year and refusing to support older models.
• What can government use surveillance to do? What issues does it raise?

  Monitor activity and keep public safe. Raises issues about freedom and online privacy.
• What constantly happens to our personal data? What problems does this raise?

  Being collected. Raises ethical concerns about consent, tracking and surveillance, especially if data is stolen.
• What has social media and gaming created?

  Cyber bullying, which can be anonymous, constant and emotionally harmful.
• How does long-term computer use affect physical health?

  Poor posture, eye strain and mental fatigue. Can also disrupt sleep.
• What kind of peer pressure does technology introduce?

  To buy latest devices, encourages unnecessary upgrades, contributing to e-waste and unsustainable consumption.
• What can excessive use of technology lead to?

  Addiction impacting productivity, social skills and mental well-being
• Who are stakeholders?

  The one affected by problems/issues/interests of company or project.