GCSE Computer Science/Impacts of Digital Technology on Society

Digital Technology

 * Less real interaction
 * Wearable technology – less phones when driving, fitness trackers improve health, smart glasses are an invasion of privacy due to cameras
 * Implants – health monitoring, convenient, expensive, privacy issues
 * Digital divide – poor/rich, rural/urban, old/young – disadvantaged due to lack of access
 * Global divide – access in HICs has provided opportunities for development – increased inequality

The Internet

 * Anonymity allows cyber bullying (intimidation and insults à distress and suicide) and trolling (comments to cause arguments and frustration)
 * Use of internet for banking and shopping means organisations store our personal data – responsibility of cyber security to prevent identity theft
 * Businesses providing Wi-Fi have responsibility to restrict sites to protect children

Accessing Services

 * Streaming – Cheap and convenient for users but can be illegal if the service doesn’t own content and access lost at end of subscription or if sites closed
 * Apps such as ‘Uber’ have been successful on smart phones
 * These are cheap and convenient but traditional services are losing business. Risk due to less strict regulations on new types of services.
 * Partial access to cloud storage for free helps to reduce digital divide
 * Mobile games may exploit impulsive spending, children may accidentally spend money

How Businesses Operate

 * They expect employees to apply for jobs online and have computer skills – some disadvantaged
 * Work phones can invade free-time as companies can always contact workers
 * Implants in workers can increase security and convenience but can be unethical
 * Adverts swamp social media – if blocked free services cannot be funded
 * Codes of conduct to show commitment to ethical use of technology

Privacy

 * Personal information is no longer private – held by websites and social media encourages people to post these details
 * Users don’t read or are forced to accept privacy agreements
 * Companies can sell details and habits to advertising companies etc.
 * Privacy can be increased in settings
 * We must trust companies to keep data secure however data is often leaked

Surveillance and Censorship

 * Surveillance – monitoring use of internet
 * Security services do this to act against terrorism
 * Internet service providers store our history
 * Censorship – control over what people can access (e.g. by governments)
 * China – No sites can be critical of government, no foreign sites; Cuba – government access points to web only
 * Restricted access to pornography and gambling sites to protect children
 * Controversial – some are for, many are against this as an invasion of liberty and privacy

Personal Data

 * Data must be used fairly for specified purpose. It shouldn’t be excessive but it must be accurate. It must remain in this country unless heavily protected. It should be secured and only kept for the necessary time. Rights must be observed.
 * Organisations must register what data they will collect with the government
 * They must have good cyber security – hard for small businesses – expensive
 * Cloud storage must be reliable – must understand where data is stored

Computer Misuse Act

 * Unauthorised access is illegal
 * Intention of using access for crime is illegal
 * Deleting and changing files; making, supplying and obtaining malware are all illegal

Cyber Crime

 * Illegal activity on computers – Hacking is exploiting security weaknesses to gain unauthorised access to access data or spread malware
 * Passive – monitoring data on a network; active – malware to attack a system; brute-force – automated software to crack passwords by trial and error; denial-of-service – floods a network with traffic to prevent use
 * Criminals have good computing knowledge so can easily avoid capture

Copyright and Patents

 * Copyright act protects intellectual property (created) from being copied or stolen
 * Patents cover ideas, inventions and concepts (e.g. hardware)
 * Copyright doesn’t need to be applied for including code but not algorithms unless they are specific enough for a patent
 * Difficult to prove copying – coincidence if same problem, if source code is secret, it cannot be compared
 * Internet file sharing has made this harder – activation keys and online confirmation used (DRM)
 * Software with DRM is cracked to remove these unwanted features (illegally modified)
 * This software is distributed online
 * Cracking can also cause loss of income to a creator

Copying and Sharing Legally

 * Open source (e.g. Firefox, VLC and GIMP) – free to download and modify
 * CC licences – allows sharing of software but not for profit or modified code
 * Online community improve and fix software

Natural Resources

 * Computers contain raw materials
 * Plastics come from crude oil
 * Limited precious metals are also used up
 * This uses energy, creates pollution and depletes finite resources

Energy

 * Non-renewable fuels used, pollution and greenhouse gases released
 * Large servers require lots of air con and power; this air con also requires energy
 * Wasted energy – very little used by processor, they are left on often also
 * Virtual servers can reduce number of servers and energy used, switching off saves power, wired connections require less power as it is used searching for connection

E-waste

 * 20-50 million tonnes every year due to short life-times
 * Caused by short warranties and marketing of upgrades
 * WEEE has rules for disposal, encourages reuse and recycling
 * E-waste is dumped in Africa and Asia due to less regulation – hazard as toxic chemicals pollute groundwater and harm wildlife