Stretch tasks Ethical, Legal, Cultural and Environmental Impacts

Round 1: Quiz Blitz

1. Computer Misuse Act 1990 Unauthorised access is an offence even if nothing is changed.
2. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 Piracy is copyright, not computer misuse.
3. True They can also have errors corrected, and sometimes have data erased.
4. Its source code can be viewed and modified Being free is common, but the defining feature is the open source code.
5. E-waste containing toxic metals; Data centres using huge amounts of electricity The digital divide is cultural, reading emails is ethical, and piracy is legal.
6. The gap between people with and without access to technology People without reliable internet or devices are shut out of services that assume everyone has both.
7. Unauthorised access → Unauthorised access with intent to commit a further offence → Unauthorised modification of computer material Getting in, getting in to commit another crime, then changing or deleting things.
8. 1990 Computer Misuse Act 1990, Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, Data Protection Act 2018.
9. Microsoft Office Microsoft Office's code is secret. The others are open source.
10. True Not every environmental impact is negative: fewer journeys mean fewer emissions.
11. Ethical It is a question of right and wrong.
12. Unauthorised modification Changing or deleting computer material is unauthorised modification, the most serious offence.

Round 2: Quick Fire

1. • Data must be used fairly and lawfully
   • Collected for a specified purpose
   • Adequate, and not excessive
   • Accurate and up to date
   • Kept no longer than necessary
   • Kept secure
   Model answer

   Personal data must be kept accurate and up to date, and it must be kept secure.

2. • Unauthorised access to computer material
   • Unauthorised access with intent to commit a further offence
   • Unauthorised modification of computer material
   Model answer

   Unauthorised access to computer material; unauthorised access with intent to commit a further offence; and unauthorised modification of computer material.

3. • Advantage: free, and can be adapted, with a community fixing bugs
   • Disadvantage: support is not guaranteed, and weaknesses are visible to attackers
   Model answer

   Advantage: it is usually free, so the school saves money. Disadvantage: support is not guaranteed, so the school may have to fix problems itself.

4. • An example, such as video calls replacing travel, smart energy systems or digital documents
   • The benefit, such as lower emissions or fewer trees cut down
   Model answer

   Video conferencing replaces many business journeys, so less fuel is burned and carbon emissions fall.

Round 3: Big Think

1. • Staff may lose their jobs
   • Replacing loyal staff to cut costs raises questions of fairness
   • Elderly or visually impaired customers may struggle with touchscreens
   • Isolated customers lose social contact
   • Counterpoint: shorter queues and lower costs, which may keep prices down
   • Some staff could be retrained to help customers or maintain the tills
   • A supported conclusion
   Model answer

   Ethically, staff whose jobs are removed may face redundancy, and replacing long serving employees purely to cut costs raises questions of fairness, especially where there are few other jobs locally. Some staff could be retrained to help customers or maintain the machines. Culturally, elderly customers and those with visual impairments may struggle with touchscreens, and for isolated customers a chat at the checkout may be real social contact. On the other hand, self-service tills cut queues for most shoppers and lower costs, which could keep prices down. Overall, the supermarket should keep at least one staffed checkout, so that no group of customers is shut out.

2. • Open source: the source code can be viewed, modified and redistributed
   • Open source is usually free
   • A community may fix bugs and add features
   • Open source: weaknesses are visible and support is not guaranteed
   • Proprietary: compiled, with the code kept secret
   • Proprietary is usually paid for
   • Proprietary comes with professional support and tested updates
   • Proprietary cannot be modified, so users depend on the vendor
   Model answer

   Open source software comes with its source code, which anyone can view, modify and redistribute. It is usually free, it can be adapted to exact needs, and a large community may fix bugs quickly, but its weaknesses are visible to attackers too and support is not guaranteed. Linux and Firefox are open source. Proprietary software is distributed compiled, with its code kept secret. It is usually paid for, sometimes by subscription, but it comes with professional support and regular tested updates. Users cannot modify it, and they depend on the vendor continuing to support it. Windows and Photoshop are proprietary.

This or That

1. Computer Misuse Act 1990 Hacking is misuse. Piracy is copyright.
2. Linux Anyone can read and change the Linux source code. Windows' code is secret.
3. Environmental Mining damages habitats and causes pollution: an impact on the planet.
4. Yes: it is unauthorised access Unauthorised access is an offence under the Computer Misuse Act on its own.
5. A supported conclusion Level 3 needs developed points, both sides, and a judgement.
6. Data Protection Act 2018 The Data Protection Act gives people rights over their personal data.
7. Countries with weak environmental controls Much of it is shipped abroad, where toxic metals can poison land and water.
8. No: by its source code being open Most open source software is free, but the defining feature is code anyone can view and modify.

Memory Match

• A 6 Data Protection Act: Controls how personal data is used
• B 5 Computer Misuse Act: Makes hacking a criminal offence
• C 1 Copyright Act 1988: Protects creators' work, including software
• D 3 Open source: Code anyone can view and modify
• E 2 Proprietary: Secret code, use restricted by licence
• F 4 E-waste: Discarded electronics, often toxic

Sort It

1. Environmental Toxic e-waste shipped abroad Discarded electronics pollute land and water.
2. Cultural Friendships formed in online communities across borders Technology changing how people interact is cultural.
3. Ethical Is it right for machines to replace people's jobs? Fairness to workers is an ethical question.
4. Environmental Video calls replacing business flights A positive environmental impact: fewer emissions.
5. Legal Guessing a password to read someone's files That is an offence under the Computer Misuse Act.
6. Environmental Data centres using huge amounts of electricity Energy use is an impact on the planet.
7. Ethical Should an algorithm decide who gets a loan? A question of right and wrong that no law settles.
8. Legal Keeping customers' data longer than necessary That breaks the Data Protection Act.
9. Ethical Should employers read their staff's emails? It is about what is right, so it is ethical.
10. Legal Downloading music without paying for it That breaks the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.
11. Cultural People without internet access missing out on services The digital divide changes how groups of people live.
12. Cultural Screen time changing how young people socialise Changes to how people live and meet are cultural.