Ethics & Laws

Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental concerns

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Triple 5

Recap from Paper 1

Multiple Choice

Which register is found in the ALU?

• Accumulator

• MDR

• MAR

• Program Counter

Multiple Choice

What is the main purpose of the CPU?

• To Fetch, Decode and Execute Instructions (in MEMORY).

• To perform calculations.

• To render graphics on a screen.

• To manage the computer system.

Multiple Choice

Which is the right order for network layers

• Application Link Transport Network

• Application Transport Link Network

• Application Transport Network Link

• Transport Link Network Application

Multiple Choice

Which of these is the correct definition of a router?

• Forwards data packets along a network

• Corrects errors that are found in data packets

• A type of transmission media that provides the greatest bandwidth

• A server within a network

Multiple Choice

Which of these is the correct definition of a router?

• Forwards data packets along a network

• Corrects errors that are found in data packets

• A type of transmission media that provides the greatest bandwidth

• A server within a network

This topic concerns

• Ethical impacts - e.g Online shopping reducing business on high street.

• Laws governing computers and their use - e.g. Computer Misuse Act

• Cutural impacts of computers - e.g. Changes in human behaviour

• How the environment may have been affected - e.g E-Waste

• Privacy issues - e.g How can computers affect our privacy.

Exam information.

This topic is commonly used for larger answer questions 6 marks +

It is about applying your knowledge to the scenario. Other than the computing laws there isn't much to remember

- more about HOW you answer the question.

Laws

• Data Protection Act

• Computer Misuse Act

• Copyright Designs and Patents Act

• Creative Commons Licence

• Freedom of Information Act

Data Protection Act

(Updated in 2018 to GDPR)

This Act specifies the rules about collecting and holding data. These include:

-- The data must be accurate and up to date​

-- You have a right to see what data is held about you​

-- The data must be protected from unauthorised access

Data Protection Act

The act includes a number of principles: ​

- data must be processed fairly and lawfully​

- data must be adequate, relevant and not excessive​

- data must be accurate and up to date​

- data must not be retained for longer than necessary​

- data can only be used for the purpose for which it was collected ​

- data must be kept secure​

- data Not transferred outside the EU without adequate protection

How this affects computers

Computer systems need to be designed in order to make sure that the DPA is being upheld.

- There must be procedures for keeping personal data up-to-date and correcting wrong data​

- Login codes and passwords are needed to prevent unauthorised access​

- Personal data that is no longer relevant should be deleted from the system

Multiple Choice

A person decides to leave an online streaming service. They still receive emails from them 6 months later. Under the Data Protection Act, the person can ask the company to remove them from their database

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

Which one of these is not a principle of the Data Protection Act?

• Data is processed fairly and lawfully

• Data should not be kept longer than needed

• Data must be kept up to Date

• Data should be easily accessible

Multiple Select

Which of these are principles of the Data Protection Act?

• Data must be relevant

• Security must prevent unauthorized access to the data

• Data should not be transferred outside of the EU

• Data should only be used for the purpose specified

• Data processed fairly and lawfully

Computer Misuse Act

This attempts to discourage people from using computers for illegal purposes.

It doesn't stop people from doing it!

Computer Misuse Act (1990)

It is illegal to access data stored on a computer unless you have permission to do so.

It is illegal to access data on a computer when that material will be used to commit further illegal activity, such as fraud or blackmail. It is illegal to make changes to any data stored on a computer when the user does not have permission to do so.

If you access and change the contents of someone’s files without their permission, you are breaking the law. This includes installing a virus or other malware which damages or changes the way the computer works.

Computer Misuse Act

The key is INTENT

If a computer is not well protected, someone could accidentally access its data without meaning to. They might also accidentally change a document without realising it.

For anyone to be found guilty, it has to be shown that they intentionally accessed and changed data.

The maximum punishment for breaking this law is a £5,000 fine or several years’ imprisonment.

Multiple Choice

If someone hacks into your email, which law have they broken?

• The Data Protection Act

• The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act

• Freedom of information Act

• Computer Misuse Act

Multiple Choice

Which one of these is not a violation of the Computer Misuse Act?

• Creating a password breaker

• Phishing

• Blackmailing

• Identity Theft

Copyright Design & Patents Act

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 exists to protect peoples' creations.

When a person creates something, they own it. What they create might include:

-- a picture, drawing or photograph, a video, television programme, film text, a book, article, report or a game

Copyright

Copyright is a legal means of ensuring that content creators can protect what they create.

- It only applies to certain types of creative work. In general, copyright does not apply to ideas.

- Copyright is applied automatically as long as certain criteria are met - it is not necessary to register copyright or to use a © symbol.

Copyright

When using computers, unless you have permission with regard to particular copyrighted material, it is illegal to:

-- make copies of the material

-- publish it and sell it without permission

-- distribute it to other people

-- sell copies to other people

Creative Commons

Creative Commons (CC) licensing makes it easier and legal to share copyrighted work online.

CC licences help copyright owners share their work while keeping the copyright.

They allow the copyright owner to say exactly what other people can do with it.

-- For example, a CC licence might say that other people can copy and distribute the copyright owner's work if they give them credit

Multiple Choice

What does 'Proprietary Software' mean in relation to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act?

• The software's source codes are not available.

• The software's functionality can not be extended further by the end user.

• The software can not be distributed to other users without permission.

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

What does a Creative Commons licence allow you to do?

• Specify special conditions about how any original information you create may be used by others

• Take legal action against people who obtain copies of your information without asking you first

• Prevents anyone using your personal details for any purposes other than they have previously stated

Multiple Choice

Once you've purchased a license for some software, are you allowed to distribute it as you wish?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Which one of these do not concern the Copyright Designs and Patents Act?

• Illegally downloading a game

• Illegally downloading music

• Illegally downloading a software license

• Illegally distributing a virus

Freedom of Information Act

This was introduced to give the public the right to access any information recorded by public sector organisations (those paid for by taxes).

These organisations include:

- schools

- councils

- government departments

- health trusts and hospitals

- libraries

- museums

Freedom of information act.

You can't get necessarily get all the info you want.

The information required is regarded as sensitive - the Data Protection Act 2018 overrules in this instance. For example, a request to find out how much an employee earned would be rejected as that information is sensitive to the employee.

If the information will be too costly or time consuming to produce. For a public organisation, such as a school, or a council, the cost limit is £450. Organisations determine costs based on £25 per hour per person. 

Multiple Choice

Can you file a Freedom of Information request to find out how much an MP has claimed for expenses?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Can you file a Freedom of Information request to find out how much an MP has claimed for expenses?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Select

Which of these organisations can you request information from under the Freedom of Information Act?

• School

• Army

• NHS

• South Western Railway

• BT (British Telecom)

Exam Questions

Make sure to check the number of marks and add the corresponding level of detail.

(These are shorter versions of real exam questions)

Open Ended

When thinking about a new computer system which will be used to hold customer data. Explain which law will need to be considered in its design

(2 Marks)

Open Ended

Bruno is creating a dance video and wants to upload his videos online.

Explain how a Creative Commons license will impact the use of Bruno’s videos by other people.

(3 Marks)