5 - Impacts of Digital Technology Flashcards
(10 cards)
What are the 6 issues we considered when discussing the impacts of digital technology?
Ethical
Cultural
Environmental
Privacy
Legislation
Licensing
What do we mean by ethical issues?
Goes against moral principles.
Examples: Non consenual use of personal biometric systems may alter public behaviour.
Facial recognition technology misidentifying ethnic groups.
Social networks limiting free speech.
Robots and AI in the workforce
In terms of culture issues, what is the Digital Divide?
Difference between those who have access to modern digital technology and those who do not.
Developing regions with limited digital infrastructure and government instability will have poor internet, signal, high costs and limited resources.
Remote working is beneficial for the environment and people as it saves money and time as well as there being less commuting. No need for offices.
Jobs are also being taken by technology but also being created.
What environmental issues are caused by digital technology?
Mining for raw materials can lead to contamination and erosion.
Gas and coal are main sources of power for factories and create pollution.
Non renewable materials such as copper used in electrons.
Harmful amterials e.g. mercury pollute environments.
Planned obsolescence - products created with a limited lifetime on purpose.
Contributes to consumerism and regular dumping of electronics.
What are some privacy issues caused by digital technology?
Use of personal data to invade privacy and track civilians.
Encryption of dangerous messages makes it harder for police dealing with crimes.
Hacking, phishing, botnet, infected systems, poorly secured databases
Online crime - distribution of prohibited material, fraud, identity theft, cyber attacks
What is the Data Protection Act (2018)?
Looking after individuals personal data.
Principles:
Data must be collected lawfully and processed fairly for specific reasons.
Data must be accurate and up to date
Data collected must be necessary and relevant.
Data must not be stored longer than necessary.
Data can not be transmitted internationally unless they can protect it.
Customers must be notfied of data breach within 72 hours.
What is the Computer Misuse Act (1990)?
No unauthorised access to material
No unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate crime.
No unauthorised modification of software or data : Making, supplying, obtaining anything which can be used in computer misuse offences.
Consequences: 10 years confined and fine
Unauthorised access - person gains access to computer system without permission.
What is the Copyright Act (1988)?
Inventions covered by patents cannot be used by others for 20 years.
Copyright protects books, video, music and software - lasts 70 years afer publication or death of author.
Criminal offence to copy work that is not your own without permission.
Preventative measures: Activation keys, online registration and activation, license keys.
What is an Open source license?
Free download althoug may have a license to prevent it being sold on.
Source code is available and it can be developed collaboratively
What is a Proprietary license?
Software under license e.g. Microsoft.
Source code kept by develope.
Cannot be edited or copied.
Paid for and off the shelf.
