Wider issues - Information Technology - Pearson A-Level

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Unit 1: Wider Issues in Information Technology

Welcome to the Digital Responsibility Zone!

Hello everyone! This chapter, "Wider Issues," is one of the most important parts of your IT course, but it’s often overlooked. It moves us beyond writing code and designing networks, and asks: How does technology affect the real world?

We will explore the legal rules, the ethical questions, and the social impact of the IT systems we build and use every day. Don't worry if this seems philosophical—we’ll break down these big ideas into clear, manageable chunks. Understanding these wider issues helps you become a responsible and informed IT professional!

Section 1: Legal Issues – The Rules of the Digital Road

Legal issues are about the laws and regulations that govern how we collect, store, share, and use information. If you break these laws, there are serious consequences!

1.1 Data Protection and Privacy (Protecting Personal Information)

This is about safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information (PII)—data that can be used to identify a specific person (like a name, email address, IP address, or medical record).

Core Concept: Data Protection Principles

Most comprehensive data protection laws (like the principles used in GDPR, which many countries worldwide adopt) demand that data handlers follow strict rules. Think of these as the minimum requirements for treating someone's personal data respectfully:

Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency: Data must be collected and used legally and honestly. Users must know what is being collected.
Purpose Limitation: Data should only be collected for specified, explicit, and legitimate reasons. (Example: If a form asks for your email for newsletters, they shouldn’t use it to check your credit score.)
Data Minimisation: Only collect the absolute minimum amount of data necessary for the stated purpose.
Accuracy: Data must be kept accurate and up-to-date.
Storage Limitation: Data should only be stored for as long as necessary.
Integrity and Confidentiality (Security): Data must be protected against unauthorized processing, loss, destruction, or damage.

Who is involved?

Data Subject: The person the data is about (you!). They have rights (like the right to see the data held about them).
Data Controller: The entity (company/organization) that determines the purposes and means of processing personal data.
Data Processor: The entity that processes data on behalf of the controller (e.g., a cloud storage company).

Analogy: Think of your phone's privacy settings. You are the Data Subject. WhatsApp (the Data Controller) must clearly tell you what data they collect and keep it secure (Integrity).

1.2 Intellectual Property (IP) – Copyright, Patents, and Trademarks

Intellectual Property protects the creations of the mind. IT systems rely heavily on IP laws to protect the effort, creativity, and investment that go into software and hardware development.

A. Copyright

It automatically protects things like software code, documentation, images, music, and videos.
It prevents others from copying, modifying, or distributing the work without permission from the creator (the copyright holder).
Common Mistake: Thinking something found online is free to use. Unless explicitly stated otherwise (e.g., Creative Commons license), it is usually copyrighted.

B. Patents

Patents protect inventions—new processes or solutions.

A patent gives the inventor exclusive rights for a set period, preventing others from making, using, or selling the invention.
In IT, patents often cover the fundamental way a new piece of hardware works or a complex algorithm/process.

C. Trademarks

A trademark is a sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services and distinguishes them from others.

Example: The Apple logo, the Google name, or the distinctive sound that plays when you turn on a console.

1.3 Computer Misuse Legislation

These laws address crimes committed using IT systems. They make it illegal to gain unauthorized access to computers or networks.

Unauthorized Access (Hacking): Accessing a system or data without permission. Even just viewing data you shouldn't see is often illegal.
Unauthorized Access with Intent to Commit Further Offenses: This is more serious, such as accessing a bank system to steal money.
Unauthorized Modification of Computer Material: Introducing malware, viruses, or erasing files. This causes damage or impairs the operation of a system.

Quick Review: Legal Issues

Section 2: Ethical Issues – Doing the Right Thing

Ethics goes beyond the law. Something can be legal, but still unethical. Ethical issues relate to moral principles, fairness, and responsibility.

2.1 Professional Codes of Conduct

IT professionals often follow Codes of Conduct laid out by professional bodies (like the BCS or IEEE). These codes guide behaviour when dealing with clients, colleagues, and the public.

Key Ethical Responsibilities:

Competence: Only undertaking work you are qualified to do.
Integrity: Being honest and trustworthy. Not lying about system capabilities or security risks.
Public Interest: Considering the overall welfare of the public when designing systems. (Example: Ensuring a safety system is rigorously tested.)
Confidentiality: Keeping client and user data private, even if not legally required (going beyond the law).

2.2 Bias in Algorithms and Data

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning systems learn from the data they are fed. If the data is biased, the resulting decisions made by the algorithm will also be biased—this is a huge ethical problem.

Source of Bias: If data used to train an algorithm is predominantly from one group (e.g., male faces, or high-income neighbourhoods), the system may perform poorly or discriminate against others.
Consequences: Algorithms are used for important decisions: loan applications, job hiring, and even criminal sentencing. Biased IT systems can reinforce existing social inequalities.
Did you know? Some early facial recognition systems struggled significantly to identify darker skin tones accurately because the training data lacked diversity. This isn't illegal, but it is deeply unethical.

2.3 Whistleblowing

Whistleblowing is when an employee raises a concern about serious wrongdoing (illegal or unethical) within their organization, often related to data misuse, security flaws, or misleading the public.

The ethical dilemma here is balancing the loyalty to the employer versus the duty to the public interest. Most ethical codes support the right to expose dangerous or deceptive practices when all internal efforts have failed.

Key Takeaway: Legal systems tell you what you must do. Ethical guidelines tell you what you should do to be a responsible member of the IT community.

Section 3: Social and Cultural Issues – Technology’s Footprint

Technology completely changes how we live, work, and interact. These are the social and cultural consequences.

3.1 Changes in Employment Patterns (Automation)

The rise of IT, especially automation and AI, dramatically changes the job market.

Job Displacement: Repetitive, manual tasks (like factory assembly or basic data entry) are increasingly taken over by robots and algorithms, leading to job losses in certain sectors.
New Opportunities: Technology creates new roles that require different skills, such as software developers, data scientists, ethical hackers, and IT support technicians.
Requirement for Upskilling: Workers must continuously learn new skills (upskill) to stay relevant in an evolving technological landscape.

3.2 The Digital Divide

The digital divide describes the gap between those who have access to IT and the Internet and those who do not, or those who have the skills to use it effectively and those who lack them.

This divide can be based on:

Economic Status: Can they afford devices (computers, smartphones) and broadband access?
Geographic Location: Does their area have the necessary infrastructure (fast fibre broadband, mobile signals)? Rural areas often suffer here.
Age/Education: Do they have the knowledge and confidence (digital literacy) to use technology for essential services like banking or education?

Why it matters: If essential services (like government applications or healthcare portals) move online, people on the wrong side of the digital divide are excluded.

3.3 Accessibility and Inclusion

IT systems must be designed to be usable by everyone, regardless of disability (visual, auditory, motor, cognitive). This is crucial for social inclusion.

Key Inclusion Features:

Screen Readers: Software that reads text aloud for visually impaired users.
Alternative Text (Alt Text): Descriptions of images provided in code so screen readers can describe the picture.
Keyboard Navigation: Ensuring all functions can be accessed without a mouse for users with motor difficulties.
Colour Contrast: Using high-contrast colours to help users with colour blindness or visual impairment.

Memory Trick: Think of the acronym SAVE for Social Issues: Skill changes, Accessibility, Variable Employment, Exclusion (Digital Divide).

Section 4: Environmental Issues – Our Planet and IT

IT consumes vast amounts of energy and resources, and creates pollution. We must consider the environmental impact of the devices we constantly replace.

4.1 E-Waste (Electronic Waste) and Disposal

E-waste is unwanted, discarded electrical and electronic equipment. It is growing rapidly because technology evolves quickly, and consumers frequently upgrade devices (planned obsolescence).

The Problem: E-waste contains hazardous toxic materials (like lead, mercury, and cadmium) that can leach into soil and water if dumped in landfills.
The Solution: Proper disposal methods are essential:
1. Recycling: Breaking down devices to recover valuable materials (gold, copper, rare earth metals).

2. Refurbishing/Reusing: Repairing old devices so they can be used again, extending their lifespan.

4.2 Energy Consumption and Sustainability

From data centres to our home computers, IT uses huge amounts of energy, often generated from fossil fuels, contributing to carbon emissions.

Data Centres: These facilities, which house cloud servers, require enormous amounts of energy not just for computing, but also for cooling (to prevent overheating).
Strategies for Sustainability:
• Virtualisation: Running multiple 'virtual' machines on one piece of physical hardware, reducing the number of servers needed.

• Cloud Computing: Using shared resources efficiently managed by large providers.

• Energy-Efficient Hardware: Using processors and components designed to consume less power.

• Green Data Centres: Locating data centres in cool climates or near renewable energy sources (wind, solar) to reduce cooling costs and reliance on fossil fuels.

Key Takeaway: Responsible IT practice includes designing systems that are long-lasting, repairable, and energy-efficient to protect the environment.

Quick Revision Checklist

Before your exam, make sure you can define and provide an example for each of these key wider issues:

Legal: Data Protection Principles, Copyright, Computer Misuse.
Ethical: Algorithm Bias, Professional Conduct (Integrity, Confidentiality).
Social: Digital Divide, Automation/Employment changes, Accessibility standards.
Environmental: E-Waste hazards, Energy Consumption in Data Centres.

You've got this! Understanding these issues proves you aren't just a coder; you are a responsible citizen of the digital world!