1.5.1 Ethical, Legal, Cultural & Environmental Issues
OCR J277 · GCSE Computer Science · ~13 min read
Notes
Video
Slides
Worksheet
Quiz
The Impact of Technology on Society
Computing technology affects society in many ways — ethically, legally, culturally, and environmentally. OCR J277 requires students to discuss these impacts, considering multiple perspectives.
Ethical Issues
Ethics concerns what is morally right or wrong. Technology raises many ethical questions:
Privacy and Surveillance
Governments and corporations can monitor individuals' activities online (browsing history, emails, location). Smart devices (Alexa, CCTV) collect vast amounts of data. Is constant surveillance acceptable? Who has access to this data?
Artificial Intelligence and Bias
AI systems can inherit biases from training data, leading to discriminatory decisions in hiring, loan approval, or facial recognition. Who is responsible when an AI makes a harmful decision?
Autonomous Weapons and Drones
Military AI systems can make life-or-death decisions without human input. This raises questions about accountability, rules of engagement, and the ethics of removing human judgment from lethal decisions.
Data Collection and Consent
Companies collect personal data without users fully understanding what is collected or how it's used. Cookie consent forms are often designed to be confusing (dark patterns).
Automation and Job Displacement
Robots and AI replace manual and cognitive jobs — manufacturing, customer service, data entry. Creates structural unemployment but also new job categories. Who benefits from automation, and who is left behind?
Legal Issues
Laws try to keep pace with technology:
Issue
Description
Intellectual property
Software, music, films, and creative works are protected by copyright. Illegal copying (piracy) is widespread but hard to enforce globally.
Digital evidence
Courts must accept digital evidence (emails, CCTV footage, metadata). Raises questions about chain of custody and tampering.
Jurisdiction
The internet crosses borders — whose laws apply when a crime is committed in one country, hosted in another, and affects victims in a third?
Right to be forgotten
GDPR gives individuals the right to request deletion of their personal data from online services. Conflicts with freedom of information.
Cultural Issues
Digital Divide
The gap between those who have access to technology (devices, internet, digital skills) and those who don't. Affects elderly, low-income, and rural communities disproportionately. Creates inequality in access to education, healthcare, and employment.
Online Communities and Social Media
Technology enables global communities but also echo chambers, misinformation, cyberbullying, and social media addiction. Mental health impacts, particularly on young people.
Globalisation of Culture
The internet spreads English-language and Western culture globally, potentially marginalising local cultures and languages. Simultaneously allows local cultures to reach global audiences.
Accessibility
Technology can improve accessibility for disabled users (screen readers, voice control, closed captions) but poor design excludes them. Developers have an ethical responsibility to consider accessibility.
Environmental Issues
Issue
Details
Energy consumption
Data centres consume ~1-2% of global electricity. Bitcoin mining uses more electricity than many countries. Streaming video generates significant CO₂.
E-waste
Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream globally. Toxic materials (lead, mercury, cadmium) leach into soil/water. Only ~20% is formally recycled.
Manufacturing
Producing devices requires rare earth minerals mined in environmentally damaging ways. Supply chains have large carbon footprints.
Benefits
Technology can reduce emissions: smart grids, remote working reduces commuting, precision agriculture reduces resource waste.
Exam tip: For 6-mark discuss questions, give both sides and a conclusion. Digital divide — know what it means and why it's significant. E-waste — fastest-growing waste stream, toxic materials. Open source vs proprietary — know examples for each. AI bias — who is responsible? These are discussion questions, so use "on the one hand... however..." structure. Learn key legislation for 1.5.2 — this lesson sets the ethical context.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Only giving one perspective on ethical issues — exam questions ask you to "discuss", requiring multiple viewpoints
Confusing ethics and law — ethics is about what is morally right; law is about what is legally required
Not naming specific examples — "a company" is weaker than "Facebook's Cambridge Analytica data scandal"
Forgetting environmental benefits of technology — not just negative impacts
Confusing digital divide with internet access only — it includes skills, hardware, and ability to use technology effectively
✅ Notes completed!
▶
Video coming soon
Click slide or press arrow keys to navigate
Worksheet — 1.5.1 Ethical, Cultural & Environmental Issues
8 questions · 25 marks
Q1What is the "digital divide"? Give two groups who might be disadvantaged by it.[3]
✅ Mark scheme
The digital divide is the gap between those who have access to technology and the internet and those who do not [1]; disadvantaged groups include (any two): elderly people [1]; low-income households [1]; people in rural areas with poor connectivity [1]; developing countries [1].
Q2Explain one ethical concern raised by the widespread use of surveillance technology.[2]
✅ Mark scheme
Any valid ethical concern, e.g.: constant surveillance may infringe on individuals' right to privacy [1]; data collected may be used without consent or for purposes the individual didn't agree to [1]; state surveillance may be used to suppress dissent or target minorities [1].
Q3Describe two environmental impacts of increasing use of computing technology.[4]
✅ Mark scheme
E-waste: electronic devices contain toxic materials (lead, mercury) that pollute soil and water when not disposed of correctly [1+1]; Energy consumption: data centres and cryptocurrency mining consume vast amounts of electricity, contributing to CO₂ emissions [1+1].
Q4What is open source software? Give two advantages over proprietary software.[3]
✅ Mark scheme
Open source software has its source code publicly available for anyone to view, modify, and distribute [1]; advantages: usually free to use [1]; community-reviewed so security flaws can be spotted by many users [1]; can be customised to suit specific needs [1].
Q5Discuss one cultural impact of social media and the internet.[3]
✅ Mark scheme
Example: Social media creates "echo chambers" where users only see content that reinforces their existing views [1]; this can increase polarisation and spread misinformation [1]; however, it also enables people to connect globally and access diverse perspectives [1].
Q6Explain how automation can have both positive and negative effects on employment.[4]
✅ Mark scheme
Negative: automation replaces jobs in manufacturing, customer service, and data entry, leading to structural unemployment [1+1]; Positive: automation creates new jobs in technology development, maintenance, and oversight [1]; frees workers from dangerous/repetitive tasks [1]; can increase productivity and lower costs for consumers [1].
Q7What is the "right to be forgotten" and which law provides it?[2]
✅ Mark scheme
The right to be forgotten allows individuals to request that their personal data be deleted from online services and search engines [1]; it is provided by GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) [1].
Q8Discuss whether the benefits of AI outweigh its ethical risks. Give arguments for and against.[4]
✅ Mark scheme
For (benefits): AI can diagnose diseases more accurately than doctors; improve road safety through autonomous vehicles; process data at speeds humans cannot [1+1]; Against (risks): AI systems can be biased, leading to discriminatory decisions in hiring/lending; autonomous systems may make fatal errors with no accountability; surveillance AI threatens privacy [1+1]; Conclusion: balanced discussion needed for full marks — must present both sides.
?
out of 25 — self-mark above
Topic Quiz
Question 1 of 15
You scored
out of 15
Card 1 of 15
Click to reveal definition
🎉
Complete!
Term
Definition
🎯
Mini Test — 1.5.1 Ethical & Cultural Issues
10 questions · 10 marks · 10 minutes
⏱ 10:00
10 marks
Section A — Multiple Choice [5 marks]
Q1What is the "digital divide"?
Q2Which of these is an example of open source software?
Q3Which law gives individuals the right to request deletion of their personal data?
Q4What is e-waste?
Q5Which of the following is an ethical concern about AI systems?
Section B — Short Answer [5 marks]
Q6State two groups who may be disadvantaged by the digital divide.
Mark schemeAny two: elderly people; low-income households; people in rural areas; people in developing countries; people with disabilities. [1]
Q7State one advantage of open source software over proprietary software.
Mark schemeUsually free to use; source code can be viewed and audited by many people (so security flaws can be spotted); can be customised; no vendor lock-in. [1]
Q8State one negative environmental impact of computing technology.
Mark schemeE-waste: discarded electronics contain toxic materials; Data centres use significant electricity contributing to CO₂ emissions; manufacturing devices requires rare earth minerals mined destructively. [1]
Q9Explain what "automation and job displacement" means.
Mark schemeAutomation (using machines/AI) replaces human workers in tasks such as manufacturing or customer service, leading to unemployment in those sectors. [1]
Q10State one difference between ethics and law in the context of computing.
Mark schemeEthics concerns what is morally right or wrong; law concerns what is legally required/prohibited. Something may be legal but unethical (e.g. excessive data collection with consent) or illegal but considered ethically justifiable. [1]