Curriculum Portal

neurologyYou need to know

• Ethical issues concern whether the development and use of digital technology are morally right, including questions about surveillance, artificial intelligence bias, automation and unequal access.
• Legal issues arise when digital technology is used in ways that may break laws governing personal data, computer access, copyright and software use.
• Cultural impacts include changes to communication, entertainment, education and working practices, as well as the spread of ideas across national and cultural boundaries.
• The digital divide is the gap between people who have effective access to digital technology and those who do not, which can reinforce social and economic inequality.
• Digital technology can reduce environmental harm through remote working, digital documents and efficient automated systems, but these benefits depend on how the technology is produced and powered.
• The manufacture and disposal of digital devices consumes finite resources and creates electronic waste, while data centres and networks use electricity and produce carbon emissions.
• Privacy is a person's ability to control access to their personal information, communications and activities; data collection, tracking, surveillance and data breaches can reduce this control.
• The Data Protection Act 2018, alongside the UK GDPR, controls how organisations collect, store, process and share personal data and gives individuals rights over their data.
• Personal data must be processed lawfully, fairly and transparently; collected for specified purposes; limited to what is necessary; kept accurate; retained only as long as needed; and protected securely.
• Individuals have data protection rights that include being informed about processing, accessing their data, correcting inaccurate data and, in qualifying circumstances, having data erased or processing restricted.
• The Computer Misuse Act 1990 prohibits unauthorised access to computer material, unauthorised access with intent to commit further offences, and unauthorised acts intended to impair computer operation or data.
• The Computer Misuse Act 1990 also prohibits making, supplying or obtaining tools, such as malware, when they are intended for use in computer misuse offences.
• The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 protects original works, including software, and generally prohibits copying, distributing or adapting them without the copyright holder's permission unless a legal exception applies.
• Copyright normally arises automatically when an original work is created, so material found online is not automatically free to copy, modify or distribute.
• A software licence is a legal agreement that states how software may be installed, used, copied, modified and distributed; using software outside these terms may breach copyright or contract conditions.
• Open-source software provides access to its source code and permits users to inspect and modify it under the conditions of its licence, but it may offer limited formal support or require technical expertise.
• Proprietary software usually keeps its source code closed and restricts copying and modification; it is commonly supplied as commercial off-the-shelf software with formal support and regular updates.
• Open-source software can offer flexibility, transparency and lower purchase costs, whereas proprietary software can offer professional support, established compatibility and ease of use, although it may involve licence fees and vendor lock-in.
• A technology can create both benefits and harms; for example, facial recognition may improve security but can threaten privacy, enable surveillance and produce unfair outcomes if its data or algorithms are biased.
• Organisations must balance functionality, cost and convenience against legal compliance, fairness, cultural effects, environmental sustainability and the privacy of users.

• Classify the impacts of a digital technology as ethical, legal, cultural, environmental or privacy-related, recognising that one impact may fit more than one category.
• Analyse a digital technology by explaining both its benefits and drawbacks for different stakeholders, supported by relevant examples.
• Apply the Data Protection Act 2018 principles to a scenario and identify how an organisation should collect, use, retain and secure personal data.
• Identify which prohibited action under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 is shown in a scenario, distinguishing unauthorised access from actions intended to cause further offences or impair systems.
• Apply the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to determine whether copying, modifying or distributing a digital work requires the copyright holder's permission.
• Compare open-source and proprietary software licences using source-code access, modification rights, cost, support, security, compatibility and licence restrictions.
• Recommend an open-source or proprietary licence for a given scenario, justifying the choice with relevant benefits and drawbacks.
• Evaluate the overall impact of a technology by reaching a balanced conclusion that considers stakeholders and ethical, legal, cultural, environmental and privacy issues.