Ethical, Privacy, Cultural and Environmental

Question 1

What are ethics?

Answer 1

Ethics consists of the standards of behaviour that are acceptable within our society. They are the moral principles and values that make society operate effectively and justly.

Question 2

What can unethical behaviour lead to?

Answer 2

Unethical behaviour undermines trust and can lead to a loss of respect and goodwill. People often feel anger and hostility towards a person/organisation that has operated unethically.

Question 3

What can the lack of centralised authority lead to

Answer 3

No one owns the internet. No one manages it. No one is responsible for it. This is both the greatest benefit and greatest drawback of the Internet.

The lack of a centralised authority makes it easy for people to be anonymous and bully or troll others. Upsetting, gruesome and inappropriate images are regularly shared and it can be quite a shock to see an unasked-for image appear in your news feed.

Question 4

Who owns social media sites and how do they make money?

Answer 4

These sites are owned and operated by organisations.

We don’t pay a fee to use them, but the owners make money from advertising and sponsorship.

Question 5

What are the grey areas with social media?

Answer 5

They do make tremendous efforts to keep the worst of it off their platforms but there are always grey areas where it is one person’s opinion versus another person.

Question 6

Who are stakeholders?

Answer 6

You, and all of the other users of these sites are stakeholders. How would the issues highlighted on the previous page affect you? How might they affect younger/older people or those who are vulnerable?

The organisation who owns the service is another stakeholder. What are their responsibilities? Who should they be protecting? What might happen to them if they continue to allow unethical content on their platforms? How might the public perceive them if they continue to read news stories about them? How might they be affected if advertisers decided they didn’t want to be associated with the platform any longer?

Businesses / individuals who pay to advertise are another stakeholder. How might they be affected by negative news stories? Would it reflect badly on their own business?

Question 7

What is a digital divide?

Answer 7

There are people in this country who cannot afford to buy and run a computer. This means that they, and their family, begin to fall behind others who regularly use computers.

Question 8

How can a digital divide negatively affect others?

Answer 8

When they want to apply for a job they might find it harder to compete with others who are familiar with computers and software applications. Their children could be disadvantaged because a lot of homework and projects now require research using the Internet.

Question 9

What factors can cause a digital divide?

Answer 9

• Money - access is not free
  Language - a large part of the Internet is written in English
• Literacy - most of the internet includes text
• Age - older generations generally find new technology harder to use
• Physical - many people have disabilities that make using the internet more difficult than it should be.

Question 10

What is the global divide?

Answer 10

The global divide is created by the fact that the level of access to technology is different in different countries. People in richer countries tend to have greater access to technology compared to poor countries.

Leads to increased inequality since the Internet and other technologies creates a lot of opportunities for people that have access to them

Question 11

What projects have been created to go against global and digital divide?

Answer 11

Several British projects are aimed at improving Internet coverage in rural areas.

One Laptop per Child is a charity that gives children a laptop in Africa, Central Asia and South America

Question 12

What is whistleblowing?

Answer 12

Governments and private companies do not always do the right thing. And sometimes they do the wrong thing, but keep it secret. When a worker discovers something is going on that they disagree with, they have to consider whether they are willing to risk their jobs or their freedom to let others know about the issue.

Question 13

Is Whistleblowing legal?

Answer 13

The people leaking this information are usually breaking the law to do it, because they believe that the public should know about it. But once it is made public, information can’t be taken back.

Question 14

What organisations are associated with whistleblowing?

Answer 14

The Internet is a powerful tool for spreading information. Organisations such as WikiLeaks and Cryptome will accept and publish information from whistleblowers.

Question 15

What is the controversy in whistleblowing?

Answer 15

In the past, whistleblowers have accidentally released harmful data alongside what they were trying to protest - the identities of active military or intelligence personnel, for example.

Diplomatic information released through WikiLeaks is believed to have been one of the major causes of the Arab Spring - the series of political revolutions that sprang up across the Middle East throughout the 2010s. People have died because of the leaks, but they inspired others to protest against unfair and unjust governments.

Do the public have a right to all information that their governments have, or are there things that should be kept secret? Do individual workers have the right to make that decision? And can we trust organisations like WikiLeaks to publish what they receive in a safe and unbiased manner?

This is where the controversy lies.

Question 16

What are the ethical questions brought up with self-driving cars?

Answer 16

If your car was about to hit a child crossing the street, would you swerve out of the way if it meant hitting two adults on the other side of the road?
- Computer scientists are hard at work making cars safer, and one of the ways this might be done is by taking humans out of the driver seat - having cars drive themselves. The ethical decisions a self-driving car has to make are no different from those a human driver will face. But it is up to their programmers to work out what their responses will be.
- How should the car be programmed to act when an accident is unavoidable? Should they prioritise the driver? Other drivers? Pedestrians?
- How much safer does a self-driving car have to be before it is no longer ethical to allow humans to drive at all?
- What might happen if hackers found a way to access and control self-driven cars

Question 17

Are self-driving cars becoming more common?

Answer 17

Self-driving vehicles are already starting to appear on roads, and they will become increasingly common sights as time goes by. It is up to us to decide how to use this technology.

Question 18

How is genetic screening done?

Answer 18

It is now practical and possible to get a comprehensive genetic analysis of yourself. This is possible with sophisticated computerised DNA sequencing machines.

Question 19

What could genetic screening be used for?

Answer 19

You supply a DNA sample to a genetic analysis company and they provide a personalised report that includes insights into your ancestry, your genetic traits and health risks.

This information may be invaluable for someone who suspects they have inherited a family trait making them more likely to get a certain illness and so on. It could be invaluable for couples wanting to make family planning decisions.

Question 20

What are some ethical issues with genetic screening?

Answer 20

However, what if another organisation insists on also seeing that information? For example, a life insurance company wants to use it to assess risk. What if an employer wants to know? Clearly this becomes an ethical issue once that deeply private information becomes public information.

As you know, the rest of your relatives may also have the same genetic traits - what if they are stigmatised because of this information? Now, it not only affects you, it can affect other people as well through no fault of their own.

Furthermore, it is not too difficult to get a DNA sample of a person without their knowledge - a hair from a brush would be enough. Obtaining such a sample without their pesmission becomes an ethical issue.

Question 21

What are the main issues with genetic screening?

Answer 21

We are just getting to the point where society has to decide how to handle this kind of data. Think about these issues:

• prenatal screening for potential issues or gender selection
• paternity tests without permission
• personal genetic traits and any likely risks.

Question 22

What is drone warfare and what can they do?

Answer 22

Drone warfare has become an increasingly important part of modern military doctrine. Unmanned robots patrol the skies above conflict zones. Some of them merely collect information and transmit it back to be analysed. But others can launch missiles at the push of a button…or with no input at all.

Question 23

What is argument in favour of drone warfare?

Answer 23

The argument in favour of drone warfare is that no soldiers have to risk their lives, and that their targetting systems can be more precise than a rifleman on the ground.

Question 24

What is argument against of drone warfare?

Answer 24

But drones are increasingly controversial for how easy they make it to kill from afar, allowing for indiscriminate attacks. If more attacks are made, even if they are more precise, it results in higher collateral damage, anger and retribution among the surviving community of the attack.

It is also entirely possible to program drones to act completely independently of human drivers, to allow them to make targetting decisions based on their programming and the standing orders they received when they were launched.

Question 25

What is e-waste?

Answer 25

Electronic waste or e-waste is a huge problem around the world. Our old technology is often sent to landfill, not because it doesn't work, but simply because it has been replaced by a newer version.

Question 26

What is the major problem with e-waste?

Answer 26

The major problem with e-waste is that the toxic chemicals such as lead, arsenic and cadmium can leach into the soil over time. Then as rain washes it away, rivers and water supplies can be contaminated.

Question 27

What did countries do in response to e-waste?

Answer 27

As a result most countries in the developed world have introduced strict regulations to prevent e-waste being dumped into landfill. Electronic components now have to be recycled. In order to get around this, some countries have been sending their e-waste to less economically developed regions around the world where the regulations aren't as strict. We hear of e-waste mountains where people (even children) spend their days in hazardous conditions salvaging some of the precious metals from the discarded electronic goods to sell for cash. This practice can have a huge detrimental effect on their health and safety.

Question 28

What are devices made from?

Answer 28

The plastic, the glass, the precious metals, rare minerals, steel, copper and all the other material that make up your phone, at some point had to be dug up as raw material. This raw material was then processed, refined, transported and shaped into each component.

Question 29

What is a much better action to do rather than throw away a device?

Answer 29

So it does not make much sense to throw away all that material, energy and effort into landfill, never to be seen again. A better way is to re-use as much of it as possible. The word is 'sustainability' - making as much use of our existing resources as possible.

Question 30

What are the three main ways of sustainability?

Answer 30

There are three main ways to do this, often referred to as the "Three Rs" Reduce Reuse Recycle

Question 31

How do you reduce the amount of waste produced?

Answer 31

Reducing the amount of waste produced is fairly easy to do personally - just buy less stuff, and throw less away! Don't replace devices that still work just because a new version has come out. Computer systems can help reduce the amount of waste produced by making manufacturing more efficient. When less material and energy is used to produce an item, throwing it away will have less impact on the environment.

Question 32

How to reuse devices?

Answer 32

Just because you are done with your mobile phone or computer doesn't mean that nobody else has a use for it. It's easier than ever to find someone willing to buy second-hand computer peripherals and devices using the internet, giving devices a new lease of life with a new owner. There are a number of schemes that will re-distribute the items you donate for other people to use. Some are commercial companies and others are charities.

Question 33

How do you re-use materials and devices?

Answer 33

Although re-use is the best idea as the device remains intact, eventually a device breaks and can't be fixed. When this happens, the environmental impact of throwing away the remains can be minimised by salvaging as many of the components as possible, and breaking down the rest into their base materials. Those materials can then be recycled into new products.

Question 34

What is another effect of computer systems on the enviroment?

Answer 34

Another effect of computer systems on the environment is the sheer amount of electricity used to power up the billions of computers around the world.

Question 35

What has led to the higher daily use of electricity by the average person?

Answer 35

The rise of social networking and handheld computers such as tablets and mobile phones has led to a much higher daily use of electricity by the average person.

Question 36

What does this electricity produce?

Answer 36

Electricity tends to produce greenhouse gases because of the way it is generated. Technology is helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by allowing for more environmentally-friendly sources such as wind and solar. Still, the less electricity used, the better for the environment.

Question 37

How can technology reduce energy use?

Answer 37

- Many modern buildings have computer controlled systems in place that reduce the amount of energy they use. - Solar panels to reduce the amount of electricity from the national grid - Energy monitoring displays to help staff know what is using up the power - Low energy LED lighting controls - Water conservation systems to re-use water, especially in industrial factories - Smart meters to help people at home keep track of their energy usage

Question 38

What are data centres?

Answer 38

Data centres are facilities used to house an organisation's IT operations and equipment. They can contain hundreds, even thousands of networked computers to store, process and distribute data.

Question 39

What is effect of the data centre usage of power?

Answer 39

Data centres use a lot of energy to run the machines. They also generate a lot of heat, which requires even more power to manage. Data centres use about 3% of the global electricity supply, and is estimated to treble in the next decade. This will have a huge impact on greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 40

How do data centres impact the enviroment?

Answer 40

They impact the environment in other ways, too. The buildings housing them need huge amounts of concrete, copper cabling and other materials. Often data centres are located in remote areas, requiring road extension and maintenance, and increasing the fuel consumption of employees. The computer components include rare and valuable materials.

Question 41

How do data centres cause e-waste?

Answer 41

E-waste is also an issue. To prevent downtime even with heavy use, the machines are replaced even when they still have plenty of 'life left in them

Question 42

Why do data centres become larger and larger?

Answer 42

Our consumption of online content is increasing, requiring ever more and ever larger data centres. Is there a case for rationing access to data in order to reduce the impact on our environment?

Question 43

What is the monitoring of the earth like?

Answer 43

Our planet is now monitored 24/7 as never before. This is because of our increasing concern about our environment and climate change.

Question 44

What technology is used to monitor the earth?

Answer 44

We use technology such as satellites, sensors and weather stations, to monitor and measure changes in the local and global environment.

Question 45

What are some things that are monitored?

Answer 45

Some of the things which are monitored include the: - state of the polar ice over time - flow of ocean currents - changing temperatures of the oceans - alarming growth of deserts - burning of primary jungles such as the Amazon - tracking endangered species for conservationists - state of crops and greenery around the planet

Question 46

Why is earth monitored?

Answer 46

The reason for all this monitoring is that nations may then agree on the best way forward (or it seems more likely they disagree!) But at least the scientific data is there for them to argue over.

Question 47

Who are stakeholders for enviromental issues?

Answer 47

All of the issues discussed in these sections are viewed differently by different interest groups. The UK government is going to be concerned about very different things to the governments of developing countries, or to manufacturers of electronic devices, or even to the general public. Each of these groups are stakeholders, in that they have a stake in the issue being discussed

Question 48

Examples of some stakeholders (environmental issues)

Answer 48

you can consider three: the British government, the British public and British industry. Other stakeholders for the environment, for example, might include environmental activists, foreign governments, international energy suppliers, etc.

Question 49

What is the government's perspective on environmental issues?

Answer 49

From the government's perspective they will want to ensure that the British economy keeps up with new technology. If we were to fall behind other countries this could have a huge impact on our ability to be competitive in the world markets. The government will want to ensure that we are not totally reliant on other nations for our energy needs, especially when they can put prices up or limit supplies The government will also be concerned with ensuring that the environment around the British isle is not damaged because of the impact we are having on our environment. Issues such as climate change, rising sea levels, burning fossil fuels etc will be something that they will monitor. The government will also be responsible for ensuring that legislation and/or guidelines about recycling and e-waste are adhered to. The culture nowadays is to throw perfectly usable technology away. However, we can't keep throwing things away, landfill sites are already becoming overfull. So the government are trying hard to enforce strict recycling policies.

Question 50

What is corporation's perspective on environmental issues?

Answer 50

The legislation which is in place to help protect the environment makes manufacturing more expensive. Businesses are not allowed to pollute the atmosphere with dangerous waste/chemicals. They have to dispose of all hazardous material in a safe manner. They must also have recycling policies in place and ensure that the whole business abides by them. All of this costs money which lowers profits and can make products more expensive than similar ones that have been imported from countries that do not abide by the same rules. On the plus side, the demand for more eco-friendly solutions does open up new markets for businesses.

Question 51

What is the perspective of the individuals for environmental issues?

Answer 51

The environmental legislation imposed on businesses means that their higher manufacturing costs have to be passed on to the consumer. Individuals therefore end up paying more for items that are produced by companies who abide by the legislation. Many individuals care about the environment and many now recycle as much as possible. They want to ensure that future generations will have a pleasant and safe environment in which to live. It does take time to recycle, especially if a trip to a land-fill site is needed. However, many individuals still have a blinkered view and only think about the 'here and now'. They see a new gadget and want it. They don't have any concept about the impact that the manufacturing process has on the environment. And they don't really think about the impact of e-waste.

Question 52

What directive was created to tackle the e-waste problem?

Answer 52

The Waste and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) which has rules for disposing of e-waste safely. to promote the 3 R's

Question 53

What are some ways to reduce the amount of energy wasted by devices?

Answer 53

- Virtual servers are software-based servers rather real machines. Multiple virtual servers can run on one physical server, so the physical server can run at fully capacity - Most modern devices include sleep and hibernation modes to reduce their power consumption when they are idle - Don't leave electronic devices (TVs, laptops etc) on standby

Question 54

What is DNA profiling?

Answer 54

Every person has a unique DNA profile. Ever since 1995, the UK police have built up the largest DNA database in the world. By 2015, it held over 5.7 million records. One in every eleven UK residents are recorded in the database. Just like the fingerprint database, as more records are added, it makes it that much more likely that a crime is solved with the help of this database

Question 55

Why is DNA profiling done?

Answer 55

Keeping a DNA record of all criminals to solve future (or past) crime seems to make sense. Just like the fingerprint database, as more records are added, it makes it that much more likely that a crime is solved with the help of this database

Question 56

What questions are raised with DNA profiling?

Answer 56

But consider these situations: - A person is found innocent of the crime - should their record be erased from the database? - A person has been found guilty of a minor offence. Should they remain on record for ever? - Should we go the whole hog and keep a DNA profile of every person in the UK including new born babies? - Should we have a DNA record of every visitor that comes to the country? What do you think? What is the balance?

Question 57

Are National Identity Cards used widely?

Answer 57

Many countries around the world, from Argentina to Turkey to South Africa, require their citizens to carry around identification papers.

Question 58

What has the debate been about for National Identity Cards?

Answer 58

There has been an ongoing debate about whether to adopt such a policy in the UK. And, if we did, whether to make use of the latest technology to ensure that everyone can be uniquely identified. Biometric data such as fingerprints would be included in the card, along with a photograph registered in a national database. There is no real technical barrier to do this, after all every new UK passport has similar technology.

Question 59

What are arguments for National Identity Cards?

Answer 59

The controversy lies in the right of the innocent citizen to privacy and why should they be forced to carry around such a card. Argument for: - It is argued that it will reduce crime and terrorism. - It will also be convenient for opening bank accounts and so on as proof of identity. - No need to carry other forms of ID e.g. driving licence or passport

Question 60

What are arguments against National Identity Cards?

Answer 60

Argument against: - Citizens should not have to prove who they are wherever, whenever - We already have documents to prove ID - passport, driving licence, so why another one - It is expensive. Why should we pay for yet another document - It may not be secure - there is a chance of fake ID cards being used for identity theft - Used for surveillance - further erosion of privacy - Risk of it being scanned and cloned, much like bank cards are today.

Question 61

What does CCTV stand for?

Answer 61

CCTV - Closed Circuit Television

Question 62

Is CCTV used widely and where?

Answer 62

The UK has more cameras pointing at its citizens than any other country in the world. More than a million cameras are connected to video recorders situated in control rooms dotted around the country. A CCTV camera is often seen mounted up on street corners, car parks, shops. People are so used to seeing them that they tolerate them and for the most part probably don't even notice them.

Question 63

What has recent technology been able to do with CCTV?

Answer 63

Recent technology has enabled the images obtained from CCTV to be combined with other systems that recognise faces (facial recognition systems) and those that identify number plates (automatic number plate recognition).

Question 64

What is the argument for CCTV?

Answer 64

The argument for them is that: - they reduce crime in the street - they reduce theft from shops - they improve safety and security

Question 65

What are some questions being raised with CCTV?

Answer 65

Some questions: How far should this surveillance go? Do you want strangers to know where you are at all times? Do you trust them not to misuse the information? Do they actually reduce crime or simply move it elsewhere? They are now starting to appear in our places of work. Is this an invasion of privacy? Should ordinary managers have the right to use CCTV to monitor their workers? Cameras are also appearing in school classrooms. Is it right that teachers and students are monitored in the classroom? Once again it is a balance of the right of the citizen to privacy against their effect on potential wrongdoing.

Question 66

What are electronic devices continuously doing?

Answer 66

Many of the electronic devices that you carry around day-to-day are constantly sending out radio signals declaring their location.

Question 67

Why are electronic devices constantly sending out radio signals?

Answer 67

Your mobile phone needs to do this in order to be assigned to a particular cell in the phone network, for example. Even devices that don't broadcast your location all the time, can give your location away when you use them. Your bank will keep records of wherever your credit card was used to make a purchase, for example.

Question 68

What is the issue with location data?

Answer 68

This location tracking isn't necessarily bad - your phone wouldn't even work without location data. But what if this information is used for reasons other than their original purpose? If someone put all of this location data together, they could make a complete map of your movements throughout the day. This is where the controversy lies. Which authorities have the right to access these records? For what reason? For example, is it right that a local council uses electronic tracking tools designed to counter terrorism in order to spy on suspected dog fouling? The risk to citizen privacy is 'mission creep' where strong systems and laws set up to counter serious crime are used for trivial reasons.

Question 69

What is personal data?

Question 70

Why is personal information valuable?

Answer 70

Your personal information has a cash value. Advertisers and marketers are always looking to learn more about potential customers. Criminals want to impersonate you for fraud. Researchers and sociologists want to learn more about how different demographics respond to various things.

Question 71

Why is it now easier for companies to share data about their customers?

Answer 71

With the development of social media technology and with companies sharing data about their customers with each other, it is easier than ever to put together profiles about people. In many cases the individuals themselves will freely share their personal information.

Question 72

How does the compilation and sharing of data pose a great risk to an individual's privacy?

Answer 72

This compilation and sharing of data poses a great risk to individual privacy, and new technologies are coming out all the time to help collect and tie together more information. Laws such as the Data Protection Act limit what data companies are allowed to keep about their customers and for how long, but it is up to every one of us to be more aware about how much we are saying about ourselves to stranger

Question 73

Who are some stakeholders involved with privacy issues?

Answer 73

The British government, the British public and British industry/ organisations. Depending on the specific scenario you are given you might also need to consider stakeholders such as environmental activists, foreign governments, international energy suppliers, etc.

Question 74

What is the government responsible for and how due they ensure this?

Answer 74

The government is responsible for protecting the countries' people, industry and infrastructure . In previous centuries, that mostly meant against other nation-states, but national threats in the modern world are on a different scale. Technology has given individuals the power to cause great harm, i.e. terrorist attacks, cyber attacks, crime etc. To fight such threats, the government needs to identify and monitor anyone they consider might pose a threat. Surveillance cameras, DNA databases and national identity cards mean that people can be tracked and monitored. Communications by e-mail and telephone can be recorded and scanned for keywords. Tracking data from mobile phones can indicate someone's presence at a crime scene. You might ask yourself whether the Government has the right to monitor us so closely. On the other hand, how safe would we be without this type of intervention? The Government has to maintain a delicate balance between the two.

Question 75

How does the UK government get involved with the Internet?

Answer 75

The Internet has proven to be a powerful platform for social change. People openly (and privately) discuss things that can affect society at large. People have been radicalised, social uprisings have been arranged and criminal activity is commonplace. No one owns the internet, so no one is officially in charge of policing it. Despite this, the UK government take steps to monitor and censor certain types of internet traffic. They constantly scan internet chatter looking for evidence of criminal and terrorist activity. People have been known to get a visit from the police in the middle of the night after posting a drunken tweet to the effect that they are 'going to kill their boss'. Are government bodies such as the police, right to undertake such monitoring, after all, it is our private communications that are being examined. Or do you think they are doing the right thing in order to keep everyone safe?

Question 76

How do corporations make money using our data?

Answer 76

Most businesses are concerned with making money - after all, that is how they exist. To make money they need to sell things to us, and they get our attention through adverts on TV, radio and in magazines. However, advertising is expensive and so marketers are focusing on how they can target the exact people who might be interested in their products. Have you noticed that when you look for something online, not long afterwards you will start seeing adverts for that type of product appear wherever you go online? This is done by placing cookies on your computer which monitor the sites that you visit or keywords that you type. Is this an invasion of our privacy or something aimed at helping us find things we need? Should organisations be able to track what we are looking at?

Question 77

How do companies make money from personal information and what did this lead to?

Answer 77

When we fill in an online form or sign up to a website, we give away a lot of personal information. Often this information is then sold on to organisations who use it to send us targetted adverts. Should our data be sold on? Should organisations be able to buy and use this data? Do you believe that targetted adverts are beneficial for us? The rise of "Big Data" gives corporations more information about the public than ever before. this information is bought, sold, and compiled, and used by large corporations to decide on the direction they should take with new products for the next few years.

Question 78

How do privacy issues affect organisations themselves?

Answer 78

On the other hand, privacy issues can affect organisations themselves. When bidding for a contract they may have to declare any conflict of interests. This means giving releasing data that might otherwise be private. Limited companies have to publish their financial records. This enables competitors to view their financial information - does that affect their privacy?

Question 79

What is privacy?

Answer 79

Privacy is a basic human right. It is not something that has to be "earned" or that should be traded away. Rather than arguing why someone shouldn't be required to carry a national identity card, privacy advocates demand that the government make its case that they should, and have found most arguments unconvincing so far.

Question 80

What is Britain the most in the world? [Privacy]

Answer 80

Britain is already the most surveilled nation in the world, and has the largest DNA database. Laws are in place to monitor our internet traffic and our phone conversations.

Question 81

Why has there been an increasing backlash and resistance?

Answer 81

And yet it seems that no matter how much privacy is given away, nothing seems to change. No more terrorists are caught now than before, yet the government continue to promise that giving away just a little more of our private data will help make the country safe again. There has been an increasing backlash and resistance against invasions of privacy. Revelations by whistleblowers at intelligence agencies have shown how much of our daily lives is being monitored and recorded.

Question 82

What does much of public believe with privacy?

Answer 82

Still, many of the public agree that some degree of privacy is worth sacrificing if it keeps us safe. Others are completely unconcerned, and put up their entire lives for everyone to see through social media, personal weblogs and video blogs.

Question 83

What are cultural issues?

Answer 83

Cultural issues are about how groups of people with particular beliefs, practices or languages may be affected

Question 84

What some questions rasied about anonymous culture?

Answer 84

Is being able to be anonymous on the Internet a good or bad thing? Is it right that someone can send hateful messages without any comeback? On the other hand is it right that if people can't have anonymity when they need it, they may be afraid to point out an injustice as activists often do. Or they are afraid of revealing an illegal act as whistle blowers are afraid of retribution?

Question 85

What cant the Internet be a platform for?

Answer 85

The Internet can provide a platform to say things that are not socially acceptable in certain cultures, for example being gay is illegal in some countries and even discussing it would lead to prosecution. Anonymity provides a shield to shelter behind. At the same time, there are many critics of online anonymity.

Question 86

How can others use anonymity against you?

Answer 86

Hackers can trick you into giving up your personal information by pretending to be someone that they are not. Spammers can send out advertisements from anonymous e-mail addresses without worrying about complaints.

Question 87

What have governments done to fight against the downsides of anonymity?

Answer 87

Governments have put laws in place (RIPA for example) to help identify persons if they are behaving illegally. For example in the UK, internet service providers now have to keep 12 month records of a customer's connection and search history - which web sites they visited, how long for, what they did then, and so on. And the authorities do not need a warrant to access those records. Protecting against the downsides of anonymity does, however, mean losing some of the benefits.

Question 88

What does social networking allow peopel to do?

Answer 88

Social networking sites allow people to communicate with one another more easily than ever before. Organising group activities, sharing information, or just having a chat are all good reasons to keep logging on. Social networking allows businesses to advertise to customers, receive feedback and respond to comments in real-time.

Question 89

What are the benefits of social networks?

Answer 89

Social networking enables the government, police, and health services to release up-to-date bulletins to citizens about ongoing emergencies. The information contained in social networks can be used to track down criminals or missing persons, to evaluate potential new employees or employers, and even romantic partners.

Question 90

What are downsides of social networks?

Answer 90

But social media also has a dark side. False information and fake news can spread just as quickly as real data, and can make it much more difficult for someone to work out the truth of a situation. People can be distracted by social media to such a degree that it impacts on their education or employment. Others use it as a substitute for real human friendships, steadily becoming more isolated from the community around them. And, just as social media can help individuals find positive and affirming groups, it can also provide a banner for hate groups and extremists to organise themselves around. In the end, social networking is one of the most powerful tools developed for the Internet, and it has profoundly affected every culture interacting online in one fashion or another.

Question 91

What impact has computing technology had on health services and medicine?

Answer 91

Computing technology has had a huge impact on medicine and health services. People are living longer and healthier lives than ever before, and this will have a great impact on society in the upcoming decades

Question 92

How does technology advanced the medical field?

Answer 92

Access to online journals allows doctors to keep up with the latest developments. Developments in new diagnostic and scanning technology has helped speed up and improve the accuracy of diagnosing a whole range of different diseases. Computer modelling techniques make it possible to determine how diseases will spread in a population and how particular drugs might provide the best treatment options. Genetic profiling identifies risk factors well in advance of any symptoms.

Question 93

What health issues are caused by technology?

Answer 93

But more relevant to a discussion on culture and technology is the effect that computing technology has on the individuals using it. Extensive use of social networking sites has been shown to physically "re-wire" the frontal cortex in the brain. Social media "addicts" often show a stronger need for instant gratification, a reduced attention span, and decreased ability to hold conversations in person. Personality disorders and addiction issues are more likely, and many more report feeling lonely, depressed or anxious in their day-to-day lives, especially at times when they are unable to access social media.

Question 94

How does shifting to a computer-based office effect people?

Answer 94

Likewise, the shift to a computer-based office where workers sit unmoving at their desks for hours upon hours has led to an increase in certain types of physical ailments such as repetitive stress injury (RSI), lower back pain, headaches and eye strain.

Question 95

How can the problems caused by technology be lessened or eliminated?

Answer 95

These problems can be lessened or eliminated by taking a more healthy approach to computer use and ensuring that you take frequent breaks away from the computer and adopt a healthier posture while sitting at your desk.

Question 96

How would anyone report news before the Internet?

Answer 96

Before the days of the Internet, anyone wanting to report the news faced huge startup costs in printing and distributing their material to potential audiences.

Question 97

How can some report news nowadays?

Answer 97

Nowadays, all someone needs is a blog (often free to set up), a social networking account and a desire to get your voice heard.

Question 98

What have established new organisations been competing with?

Answer 98

Established news organisations have found it difficult to compete with the rise of this so-called "citizen journalism". Unable to compete with "free" on price, broadsheets are forced to compete on quality and reputation.

Question 99

What advantages and disadvantages do citizen journalists have?

Answer 99

Citizen journalists have the advantages of lower production cost and higher responsiveness to local news - often the most interesting news for a local audience. They can often pick up on stories that would otherwise be missed. Any stories they break that affect a larger audience can then be re-written and re-reported in larger publications. The lack of editorial oversight can make for a more individual voice, and fewer restrictions on what a citizen journalist can report on. Online blogs and journals offer many different perspectives but also results in lower quality fact-checking and presentation. Citizen journalists often have little training in the ethical and professional duties of reporting, and fewer professional contacts to draw upon to provide context to what they dig up.

Question 100

Will Citizen Journalism replace mainstream media?

Answer 100

No-one agrees on whether or not citizen journalism is poised to replace mainstream media entirely or whether it should be used to supplement established news brands. Maybe it's just a fad which is likely to fade as people turn back to more reliable sources, but we don't think that is going to be the case.

Question 101

What can viral videos, images and other ''memes'' do?

Answer 101

Viral videos, images, and other "memes" can spread very rapidly across the internet.

Question 102

What do these viral videos have in common?

Answer 102

What these viral videos have in common is that they draw in huge numbers of people. They give people across the world a shared experience that they can discuss or build upon together.

Question 103

What do viral videos do?

Answer 103

People can become celebrities overnight because a video they have made has gone viral. Most get their 10 seconds of fame and then fade away into obscurity as soon as the next viral video comes along. Advertising companies try to manufacture viral media in the hope of gaining huge amounts of free publicity for their products. Social movements can spring up in response to single videos and bring about substantial political and legal changes. The public image of politicians and other elites can be raised or lowered by appearances on viral media, to the point where election campaigns have begun to try to get ahead of or harness viral media to create a brand for their candidate.

Question 104

How do you make a viral video?

Answer 104

Even individuals try to get in on the action, leading to any mildly interesting or remarkable event is instantly captured on a cellphone camera by someone looking to upload it later. People can spend huge amounts of time and money in search of creating the perfect viral video. The trouble that ultimately, no one really knows what will make a video go viral.