5.4b Responsible Use — Edexcel 1CP2

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⭐ Enrichment lesson — this topic is not assessed in the Edexcel 1CP2 GCSE exam. It provides valuable extra knowledge but should not replace revision of the core specification.

Intellectual Property and Copyright

Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind — software, music, writing, images, inventions. Copyright law protects creators' rights to control how their work is used.

IP Type	What it protects	Key points
Copyright	Creative works — software, music, books, images, films	Automatic on creation; lasts 70 years after author's death; controlled by UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
Patent	Inventions and technical innovations	Must be registered; 20 years protection; prevents others using the invention without licence
Trademark	Brand names, logos, symbols	Must be registered; can be renewed indefinitely; e.g. Apple logo, Nike swoosh

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 makes it illegal to: copy software without a licence, distribute pirated software, and run unlicensed software. Penalties can include fines and imprisonment.

Software Licensing

Licence type	What it means	Examples
Proprietary (commercial)	Software owned by a company; users pay to use it; source code not available; limited customisation	Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Windows
Open source	Source code freely available; anyone can view, modify, and redistribute; usually free	Linux, Firefox, LibreOffice, Python, VLC
Freeware	Free to use but source code not available and redistribution may be limited	Adobe Acrobat Reader, Skype (older)
Shareware	Free trial period, then requires payment; often feature-limited until paid	WinRAR, older software

Environmental Impact of Computing

Computing has significant environmental impact at all stages:

Manufacturing: Rare earth minerals (lithium, cobalt, rare earths) mined for devices — environmentally destructive and often from conflict zones
Energy consumption: Data centres consume ~1-2% of global electricity; bitcoin mining alone uses more electricity than many countries
E-waste: ~54 million tonnes of electronic waste per year globally; contains toxic substances (lead, mercury, cadmium); less than 20% properly recycled
Carbon footprint: ICT sector responsible for ~2-4% of global CO₂ emissions — similar to aviation

Reducing impact: cloud computing improves efficiency; renewable energy data centres; longer device lifespans; responsible e-waste recycling; software optimisation to reduce energy use.

Ethical Issues in Computing

Issue	Description	Example
Algorithmic bias	AI/algorithm systems producing discriminatory outcomes due to biased training data	Facial recognition less accurate for darker skin; biased hiring algorithms
Privacy and surveillance	Governments and corporations collecting vast amounts of personal data	CCTV networks, smart device listening, data harvesting by social media
Digital divide	Unequal access to technology due to poverty, geography, age, or disability	Students without home internet unable to access online learning
Automation and jobs	AI and robotics replacing human workers	Self-checkout replacing cashiers, autonomous vehicles threatening drivers
Open source vs proprietary	Ethical arguments about whether software should be freely available to all	Medical software being proprietary — limiting access in developing countries

Exam tip: For the "responsible use" topic, know the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 by name. Know the difference between open source and proprietary software — including pros and cons of each. Environmental impact is frequently examined as a "discuss" question.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

Thinking "open source" means insecure — in reality, open source software can be very secure because many experts review the code
Saying copyright "has to be registered" — copyright is automatic on creation; it's patents and trademarks that require registration
Confusing freeware (free to use, closed source) with open source (free to use AND modify)

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✍️ Worksheet — 5.4b Responsible Use of Technology

8 questions

Q1State the name of the UK law that protects software from being copied without permission. What are TWO things it makes illegal?[3]

✅ Mark scheme

Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 [1]; it makes illegal: copying/installing software without a valid licence [1]; distributing/sharing pirated software [1]; running unlicensed software [1]. (Any two from the list, max 2.)

Q2Compare open source and proprietary software. Include advantages and disadvantages of each.[6]

✅ Mark scheme

Open source — source code freely available; free to use, modify, redistribute [1]; advantages: free/low cost; community-driven development; can be customised; security benefits (many experts review code) [1]; disadvantages: less user-friendly support (community rather than dedicated); no guaranteed updates; [1]; Proprietary — source code owned, users pay for a licence; company provides support [1]; advantages: professional support, regular updates, user-friendly interface [1]; disadvantages: expensive; cannot customise source code; dependent on company continuing to support [1].

Q3Describe THREE ways that computing has a negative impact on the environment.[6]

✅ Mark scheme

Two marks each: E-waste — millions of tonnes of discarded electronics containing toxic substances (lead, mercury, cadmium) that pollute soil and water; poorly recycled globally [2]; Energy consumption — data centres consume ~1-2% of global electricity; the ICT sector contributes 2-4% of global CO₂ emissions [2]; Manufacturing impact — production of devices requires mining of rare earth minerals and cobalt, which is environmentally destructive and often contributes to habitat destruction and pollution [2].

Q4Explain the difference between copyright and a patent.[4]

✅ Mark scheme

Copyright protects creative works (software, music, books, films, images) [1]; it is automatic — creators don't need to register it; it lasts 70 years after the creator's death [1]; a patent protects inventions and technical innovations [1]; patents must be registered; they last 20 years; they prevent others from making, using, or selling the invention without a licence [1].

Q5Explain what is meant by algorithmic bias and describe a real-world example of its impact.[4]

✅ Mark scheme

Algorithmic bias occurs when an AI or algorithm produces discriminatory outcomes because it was trained on biased historical data or built with biased assumptions [2]; Example: facial recognition systems trained predominantly on lighter-skinned faces have significantly lower accuracy when identifying darker-skinned individuals — this led to wrongful arrests in the USA [2]. Accept: biased hiring algorithms (Amazon's AI hiring tool downgraded women's CVs); predictive policing unfairly targeting certain communities.

Q6A student copies images from a website to use in their school project without crediting the source. Is this legal? Explain your answer.[3]

✅ Mark scheme

It may be illegal if the images are copyrighted [1]; copyright is automatic — all original creative works (including photos on websites) are protected by copyright as soon as they are created, without needing a copyright symbol [1]; using copyrighted images without permission or credit infringes copyright under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988; however, there is a fair dealing exception for educational purposes in some circumstances [1].

Q7A hospital in a low-income country cannot afford proprietary medical software. How does the open source vs proprietary debate have ethical implications here?[4]

✅ Mark scheme

Ethical argument for open source: if medical software is proprietary, hospitals in low-income countries who cannot pay licensing fees have no access to potentially life-saving tools; this creates inequity in healthcare quality based on wealth [2]; open source software could be freely used and adapted by any hospital worldwide, potentially saving lives and reducing the digital divide between wealthy and developing nations [2]. (Accept discussion of intellectual property rights vs. social benefit; quality/support concerns of open source in critical systems.)

Q8Describe THREE ways individuals or organisations can reduce the environmental impact of computing.[6]

✅ Mark scheme

Two marks each: Extend device lifespan — repair rather than replace devices; purchase refurbished electronics; reducing manufacturing demand and e-waste [2]; Responsible e-waste recycling — disposing of old electronics through certified recycling programmes to safely recover materials and prevent toxic substances entering landfill [2]; Use renewable energy — choosing cloud providers that power data centres with renewable energy (wind, solar); purchasing green electricity for offices [2]; Software efficiency — writing efficient code that uses less processing power; reducing unnecessary server requests; switching off devices when not in use [2]. Any three, max 6.

Topic Quiz

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Term	Definition

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Intellectual Property and Copyright

Software Licensing

Environmental Impact of Computing

Ethical Issues in Computing

✍️ Worksheet — 5.4b Responsible Use of Technology

Mini Test — Responsible Use