Topic 10: Social Issues

Question 1

Name two examples of UK legislation designed to address society’s concerns about misuse of computers, personal or commercial data.

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What does DPA stand for?

Answer 2

Data Protection Act

Question 3

The DPA 1998 is designed to what?

Answer 3

Address society’s concerns about misuse of computers, personal or commercial data.

Question 4

The Computer Misuse Act 1990 is designed to what?

Answer 4

Address society’s concerns about misuse of computers, personal or commercial data.

Question 5

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is designed to what?

Answer 5

Address society’s concerns about misuse of computers, personal or commercial data

Question 6

The Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988 is designed to what?

Answer 6

Address society’s concerns about misuse of computers, personal or commercial data

Question 7

The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 is designed to what?

Answer 7

Address society’s concerns about misuse of computers, personal or commercial data

Question 8

The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 is designed to what?

Answer 8

Address society’s concerns about misuse of computers, personal or commercial data

Question 9

The Malicious Communications Act 1988 is designed to what?

Answer 9

Address society’s concerns about misuse of computers, personal or commercial data

Question 10

What are some of society’s concerns regarding the misuse of computers, personal or commercial data?

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

What are the main requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998?

Answer 11

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.

Question 12

Name 3 of the 8 principles of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Answer 12

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.

Question 13

The principle ‘Subjects must consent to their data being held & used’ belongs to what legislation act?

Answer 13

DPA 1998

Question 14

The principle ‘Data is kept only for the reason for which it was originally collected’ belongs to what legislation act?

Answer 14

DPA 1998

Question 15

The principle ‘Data must be accurate’ belongs to what legislation act?

Answer 15

DPA 1998

Question 16

The principle ‘Data must be kept up to date’ belongs to what legislation act?

Answer 16

DPA 1998

Question 17

The principle ‘Data is only kept as long as it is needed’ belongs to what legislation act?

Answer 17

DPA 1998

Question 18

The principle ‘Anyone can ask to check what data is held about themselves’ belongs to what legislation act?

Answer 18

DPA 1998

Question 19

The principle ‘Data must be stored and processed securely’ belongs to what legislation act?

Answer 19

DPA 1998

Question 20

The principle ‘Data must be processed within the UK’ belongs to what legislation act?

Answer 20

DPA 1998.

Question 21

Describe how the Data Protection Act 1998 is designed to prevent misuse of individuals’ personal data.

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

What is the main weakness of the Data Protection Act 1998?

Answer 22

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).

Question 23

What new legislation is designed to strengthen the protection of personal data to address the concerns of the Internet age?

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

Which new legislation is a very wide-ranging set of rules covering privacy, security and misuse of personal data?

Answer 24

The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Question 25

What is the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation?

Answer 25

A very wide-ranging set of rules covering privacy, security and misuse of personal data

Question 26

What does GDPR stand for?

Answer 26

General Data Protection Regulation.

Question 27

How will the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) affect UK businesses after Brexit?

Answer 27

Whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, any UK business that has customers resident in the EU must comply with the GDPR.

Question 28

Describe how the Computer Misuse Act 1990 is designed to address societal concerns about criminal access to ICT.

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

Which act makes it illegal for people to hack into computers?

Answer 29

Computer Misuse Act 1990