1.5.2 Legal, Moral, Cultural and Ethical Issues

Question 1

Computers in the workforce

Answer 1

Computers in the workforce : More robotics and computerised workforce shifts skillset for jobs and number of jobs.

Advantages :
- Increased efficiency and precision and can go 24/7 (except maintenance / repair).
- Increased demand for computing related jobs to maintain and use computers.
- Reduced strain on workers and tedious repetitive tasks to do.

Disadvantages :
- People lose jobs - lots of unemployment - economy hit
- High dependence on computers - vulnerable to cyber attack / power cut or bug
- Responsibility for mistakes

Question 2

Automated Decision Making

Answer 2

Automated Decision Making : Decisions made by algorithms – based on set of predetermined rules and parameters without human involvement.
- people have right to have application looked at by human

Advantages :
- Can model future changes and track data to respond instantly to changes e.g. increase power output to meet demand.
- Improved productivity - decisions made much faster e.g. Screen candidates so more time for thorough checks on approved candidates.

Disadvantages :
- Does not consider extenuating circumstances or extra human factors in applications - unfair treatment / difficult to decide.
- Can determine social media feeds - shows interests - dangerous bubble reinforcing beliefs
- Algorithms will always have element of bias

Question 3

Artificial Intelligence

Answer 3

Artificial Intelligence : The ability of a computer to replicate human intelligence, cognitive ability, and grasp abstract concepts.

Advantages :
- Used in medicine to draw connections between illnesses to make diagnoses
- Used to identify financial fraud after learning from data
- Can be used as a tool in many professions to improve productivity and for boring tasks.

Disadvantages :
- Accountability for mistakes
- Algorithmic bias - unfair or incorrect decisions (Fed Biased data)
- Loss of Jobs - unemployment
- Copyrighted data fed into AI

Question 4

Environmental Effects of Technologies

Answer 4

Environmental Effects of Technologies :
- More computers needed - more natural finite recourses to produce
- More electricity needed for power - more fossil fuels burnt - global warming
- More disposal of toxic radioactive isotopes e.g. Mercury, contaminate water supply
- Push for renewable and more efficient energies e.g. Solar power and LED bulb and smart meter.
- Data mining to reduce wastage

Question 5

Censorship and the Internet

Answer 5

Censorship and the Internet : Act of deliberately suppressing what people are able to view, publish and access.

Advantages :
- Can Block terrorism and extremist political beliefs
- Can improve productivity and prevent distractions

Disadvantages :
- Countries can use to push certain ideology
- Who decides what is allowed or not - should government control and extent.

Question 6

Monitor Behaviour

Answer 6

Monitor Behaviour : Surveillance systems that track people - either passively (CCTV), forced (Ankle Monitor, Internal monitoring of online activity) or Deliberately chosen (Smart watch)

Advantages :
- Internal Monitoring is good for safety, safeguarding and productivity.
- Can be used to detect crime.
- Can improve Quality of life e.g. track steps.

Disadvantages :
- Some believe against basic human rights - privacy.
- How much is too much surveillance

Question 7

Analyse Personal Information

Answer 7

Analyse Personal Information : Involves Data mining of Big Data of personal information collected by companies about members of the public, Reveals trends, patterns and associations for predictive purposes.

Advantages :
- Marketing can be more tailored - increase sales
- Can predict future needs - less waste

Disadvantages :
- Privacy – who has access, how access controlled
- Ownership – who owns the data, right to erasure
- Consent – how data collected, positive consent
- Misuse and Data protection – hacking and phishing, how is data protected.

Question 8

Piracy and Offensive Communications

Answer 8

Piracy and Offensive Communications :
- Internet has allowed for easy unauthorised copying of material - theft (Breaks CD+P Act) e.g. through P2P Networks

• Internet has allows for anonymous cyber-bullying, online harassment and stalking to take place.
• VPN’s, Proxies, use of public wi-fi and other means allow for people to remain anonymous.
• Malicious communications act makes it illegal to send indecent or offensive messages online.

Question 9

Layout, Colour Paradigms and Character Sets

Answer 9

Layout : Must consider all that will be viewing website
- Pages must be easy to navigate - menus on left / right (England / UAE)
- Pages must be accessible to people with visual impairments - zoom and alt text.
- Contrasting colours for people with colour blindness and able to change CSS Style sheet for individual needs

Colour Paradigms : Consider how colours interpreted
- Neutral colours or widely positive to avoid negative connotations in different cultures

Character Sets :
- Use UNICODE to allow for translation into all types of audiences - accessed by wider audience
- ASCII Cannot represent all languages as only 7 bit

Should also be coded in most recent updated version of JavaScript