Ethical, legal and environmental impacts of digital technology on wider society, including issues of privacy

What is meant by the ethical impact of digital technology?

The moral principles guiding how technology should be used

Give an example of an ethical issue with technology.

Use of AI for surveillance, bias in algorithms

What is a legal impact of digital technology?

Effect of law on use, development, and distribution of technology

Name a legal law on digital technology in the UK.

Data Protection Act (DPA), Computer Misuse Act (CMA), Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (CDPA), GDPR

What is the Data Protection Act (DPA)?

UK law controlling how personal data is collected, stored, and used

What is the Computer Misuse Act?

Law against unauthorised access to digital information (hacking)

What does the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act protect?

Intellectual property rights of creators of original content

What is the environmental impact of digital technology?

How technology manufacturing, use, and disposal affects nature

List one environmental issue caused by computers.

E-waste, energy usage, CO₂ emissions

What is e-waste?

Electronic waste from discarded digital devices

Why is e-waste a problem?

Contains toxic materials; difficult to recycle safely

How can technology impact privacy?

Personal data may be collected, stored, shared, or hacked

What is surveillance?

Monitoring of behaviour, activities, or information for security

Give an ethical concern about surveillance.

Invasion of privacy, misuse of personal data

What is digital divide?

The gap between those with and without access to digital technology

How can the digital divide affect society?

Causes inequality in education, opportunities, access to services

What is cyberbullying?

Harassing, threatening, or bullying others via digital communication

How can companies reduce environmental impact?

Use renewable energy, recycle, design for efficiency

How do laws protect intellectual property rights?

Prevent unauthorised copying or use of software, digital media

What is GDPR?

General Data Protection Regulation—EU law for the protection of personal data

Give a principle of GDPR.

Data must be collected lawfully, used fairly, kept secure, and not kept longer than needed

What is meant by the term 'data breach'?

Unauthorized access/exposure of personal or sensitive data

What should companies do after a data breach?

Notify affected people, inform authorities, fix vulnerabilities

Why is personal data valuable?

Can be used for targeted marketing, identity theft, fraud

How can users protect their privacy online?

Use strong passwords, privacy settings, limit sharing, encryption

What is social engineering?

Tricking people into giving away confidential information

Name a method of social engineering.

Phishing, pretexting, baiting

What is software piracy?

Illegal copying or use of software

Why is software piracy a problem?

Loss of revenue for creators, potential malware

What is open-source software?

Software with source code available for anyone to view, modify, and distribute

What is proprietary software?

Software that is owned, restricts access to its source code, usually sold for profit

Give an advantage of open-source software.

Free to use, adaptable, can be improved by community

Give an advantage of proprietary software.

Reliable support, frequent updates, secure funding for development

How does technology affect employment?

May automate jobs, but create new roles and opportunities

What is an algorithmic bias?

When a computer system's outcomes are prejudiced due to flawed data or design

Why must companies consider accessibility?

To ensure technology is usable by people with disabilities, comply with the law

Give an example of technology improving the environment.

Efficient transport, energy-saving appliances, smart grids

Give an example of technology harming the environment.

Increased e-waste, higher energy consumption, mining for rare metals

How can users reduce their technology footprint?

Recycling devices, limiting upgrades, using energy-efficient products

What is net neutrality?

Principle that Internet service providers must treat all data equally

Why is net neutrality important?

Prevents blocking/throttling of content, ensures fair access online

What is cybercrime?

Criminal offenses involving computers/networks (e.g., hacking, fraud)

How does digital technology impact freedom of expression?

Enables wider sharing of ideas, but may be restricted/monitored

What is the right to be forgotten?

Legal right to have personal data deleted from websites, search engines

What are cookies (digital)?

Small files stored by websites to track, remember info about users

What is the main concern with cookies?

Can be used to monitor browsing habits without consent

How do digital technologies impact health?

Screen time, eye strain, mental health issues, ergonomics

What is digital addiction?

Excessive, compulsive use of digital devices or platforms

What is the ethical issue with deepfakes?

Can be used for misinformation, impersonation, blackmail

What is green computing?

Designing, manufacturing, using, and disposing of computers in an environmentally friendly way

How do backup systems reduce risk of data loss?

Allow recovery after hardware failure, cyber attack, or error

What is fair use?

Legal doctrine allowing limited use of copyrighted material without permission

What constitutes copyright infringement?

Unauthorised copying, sharing, or modification of copyrighted works

How does CCTV impact society?

Improves security, but raises concerns about privacy and mass surveillance

What is whistleblowing?

Reporting illegal or unethical behaviour within an organisation

What is a digital footprint?

The data trail left by a user's online activity

Why is managing your digital footprint important?

Impacts privacy, reputation, and future opportunities

What is ethical hacking?

Hacking with permission to find and fix security risks

Give an example of responsible disclosure.

Informing a company privately about a bug/security flaw

What is malware?

Malicious software designed to harm, disrupt, or steal data

Give two types of malware.

Virus, worm, Trojan, ransomware, spyware

How does encryption support data security?

Makes information unreadable without a decryption key

Why are strong passwords important?

Reduce likelihood of unauthorised access

What are computer ethics?

The study of moral issues related to computing technology use

Give a legal requirement for collecting personal data.

Obtaining consent, explaining use, storing it securely

What is an environmental concern of cloud computing?

Large data centers require lots of power/cooling

Name a technology that helps the environment.

Smart thermostats, electric vehicles, remote sensors

What is the Digital Economy Act?

UK law regulating online copyright, age verification, data access

What is VPN?

Virtual Private Network; encrypts Internet traffic for privacy/security

Why should companies have a privacy policy?

To meet legal obligations and inform users how data is used/stored

What is two-factor authentication?

Requires two types of evidence (password + code/device) to prove identity

What is censorship?

Blocking/restricting access to certain information/products

What are the dangers of sharing too much on social media?

Fraud, identity theft, unwanted attention, loss of privacy

How does the law treat cyberbullying?

May be prosecuted under harassment, communications, or stalking laws

What are the consequences of digital exclusion?

Limited access to jobs, services, education, social isolation

How can technology support inclusion?

Assistive technologies, affordable access programs, digital literacy training

How does big data affect society?

Enables advanced analytics but raises privacy/ethical risks

What is clickbait?

Content designed to attract clicks, often misleading or sensational

Why must companies notify users of privacy policy changes?

Legal requirement, informs users, maintains trust

How do data brokers use personal data?

Buy/sell information used for marketing, or risk profiling

What is online radicalisation?

Internet used to encourage extremist views/behaviour

How does the Internet enable activism?

Facilitates organisation, information sharing, raising awareness

What is phishing?

Fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive info by pretending to be trustworthy source

Why do laws regulate online advertising?

Protect consumers from misleading, harmful or targeted ads for children

What is a digital certificate?

Proves identity of a website, used for secure connections (SSL/HTTPS)

What is the impact of algorithms on job recruitment?

Bias in filtering candidates, lack of transparency

Name a right digital users have under GDPR.

Right to access data, right to erasure, right to rectify data

What is a privacy impact assessment?

Process of evaluating risks to privacy in new projects/systems

Why is recycling electronics important?

Reduces landfill, pollution, and resource extraction

What is DDoS attack?

Distributed denial-of-service: many computers overwhelm a network/resource

What is digital forensics?

Investigation of digital devices for evidence of crime/misuse

Why are age restrictions sometimes used on websites or apps?

To comply with law, protect children from harmful content or data harvest

What is meant by digital cultural impact?

Effects of technology on communication, sharing, values, creativity

What is sexting and why is it a legal concern?

Sending sexual images via digital devices—may be illegal if underage or without consent

State a legal reason to monitor employees' digital activities.

Prevent data leaks, monitor performance, legal compliance

What is meant by privacy by design?

Systems built with privacy and security as a key principle from the start

Why is algorithm transparency important?

Users need to understand how decisions are made, prevents unfairness

Why are electronic records preferred in the NHS?

Faster access, easier sharing, less paper, but must protect patient privacy

What is the "Internet of Things" (IoT)?

Network of connected physical devices exchanging data

How can the IoT raise ethical or privacy issues?

Data collection/storage by many devices, often without clear consent