Topic 10: Social Issues Flashcards
Name two examples of UK legislation designed to address society’s concerns about misuse of computers, personal or commercial data.
Data Protection Act 1998 Computer Misuse Act 1990 Freedom of Information Act 2000 Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988 Investigatory Powers Act 2016 Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 Malicious Communications Act 1988
What are some of society’s concerns regarding the misuse of computers, personal or commercial data?
Companies using and sharing personal data without consent.
Insecure data could be stolen, especially bank account or credit card details.
Identity theft.
Spreading viruses, etc.
Phishing to steal passwords or bank details.
Illegal copying of software / images / music.
What are the main requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998?
According to the Data Protection Act 1998, any organisation in the UK that uses personal data must store it securely. It must also only use it with the person’s permission and for the purpose for which it was originally collected. If the organisation fails to comply with these principles, and five others included in the Act, they could be heavily fined by the regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Name 3 of the 8 principles of the Data Protection Act 1998.
Subjects must consent to their data being held & used.
Data is kept only for the reason for which it was originally collected.
Data must be accurate.
Data must be kept up to date.
Data is only kept as long as it is needed.
Anyone can ask to check what data is held about themselves.
Data must be stored and processed securely.
Data must be processed within the UK.
Describe how the Data Protection Act 1998 is designed to prevent misuse of individuals’ personal data.
According to the Data Protection Act 1998, an organisation in the UK that uses personal data must store it securely. It must also only use it with the person’s permission and for the purpose for which it was originally collected. If the organisation fails to comply with these principles, and five others included in the DPA, they could be heavily fined by the regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office.
What is the main weakness of the Data Protection Act 1998?
The Data Protection Act 1998 was written before the use of the Internet and smartphones were mainstream. Today there are many more ways that data can be collected, used and misused. The DPA does not require that individuals give proactive consent for their personal data to be collected, for example (opt-in).
What new legislation is designed to strengthen the protection of personal data to address the concerns of the Internet age?
The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will apply from May 2018. It is a very wide-ranging set of rules covering privacy, security and misuse of personal data. For example, the ‘right to be forgotten’ gives individuals the right to have inaccurate information removed from search engine results.
How will the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) affect UK businesses after Brexit?
Whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, any UK business that has customers resident in the EU must comply with the GDPR.
Describe how the Computer Misuse Act 1990 is designed to address societal concerns about crimminal access to ICT.
The Computer Misuse Act 1990 makes it illegal for people to hack into computers. It is also illegal to use the information that hackers find for blackmail purposes. A hacker could be fined and go to prison.
Describe how the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 is designed to protect creative works.
The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 makes it illegal for people to copy software, images, music, or other creative work, without permission. You must have a valid licence for copyright-protected software and you may be limited in the number of copies you can make for your own use. You cannot copy music from a CD to your MP3 player. You cannot present content copied from the Internet as if it were your own.
