Impacts of Digital Technology on Wider Society (OCR GCSE Computer Science)

• While new technologies offer exciting possibilities, beyond feasibility we must carefully consider:
  • Legal issues
  • Ethical issues
  • Cultural issues
  • Environmental issues
  • Privacy issues

What is a legal issue?

• A legal issue is a problem or dispute concerning the interpretation, application, or violation of laws
• Examples of legal issues in computing are:
  • Copyright - The use of other peoples content without permission
  • Cybersecurity - Protecting against hackings, data breaches and all other cybercrimes
  • Data protection - Responsible collection, storing and use of personal information
• These issues are covered in more detail here 'Legislation in Computer Science'

What is an ethical issue?

• An ethical issue is a situation that raises questions about what is right and wrong
• As technology advances and laws are slow to keep up, ethical issues are more prevalent
• Ethical issues call in a persons own morals and values as there is often a lack of an easy answer and decisions can have consequences for yourself and others

Examples of ethical issues in computing

Digital divide

• The increasing reliance on computers increases the digital divide, creating inequality between those who have access to technology and those who do not
• This can hinder opportunities for education, employment, and economic advancement for disadvantaged groups

Algorithmic bias

• Using algorithms in decision-making can unintentionally promote unfair biases, leading to discriminatory outcomes in areas such as:
  • Job seekers - Factors unrelated to qualifications such as post code or social media activity
  • Loans - Denying lending to minority groups 
  • Criminal justice - Racial profiling, harsher sentences for certain groups

Intellectual property

• The ease of digital copying and distribution raises ethical questions about protecting intellectual property rights and fair compensation for creators
• Digital piracy can lead to significant revenue loss for creators. When consumers access pirated content instead of purchasing it legally, creators are deprived of the revenues they deserve

Automation

• The automation of tasks through computers raises ethical concerns about job losses and the potential loss of livelihood for workers

What is a cultural issue?

• A cultural issue is an issue that relates to the impact of technology on the nature and culture of society
• Advances in technology have changed the way people lead their lives, in areas such as:
  • Online shopping
  • On-demand content/streaming
  • Navigation (Sat Nav)
  • Gaming
  • Social media
  • Remote working

Examples of cultural issues in computing

Digital divide

• An inequality in the access, use, education and confidence in new technologies exists
• Access to technology is limited by geography, some countries have limited/no access to the internet
• Use of technology can be limited by cost, the ability to purchases the latest technology is both a national and international issue, as more wealth means more access
• A lack of education in technology can limit employment, many employers now require good ICT skills
• Confidence to use new technologies can also widen the divide, older generations, lacking the confidence of growing up with technology like social media, can feel intimidated and excluded, while younger generations readily accept it

Landscape of employment

• The advancement of technology has changed the way people work, with many new jobs allowing employees to work from home
• Positive cultural impacts include:
  • Work-life balance - increased flexibility gives employees the ability to manage their personal and professional lives
  • Global collaboration - working remotely increases opportunities to work with colleagues and clients across the world
  • Diversity & Inclusion - remote working can remove barriers caused by geography and lead to job opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds
• Negative cultural impacts include:
  • Social isolation - working remotely can lead to a lack of social interaction and increase isolation
  • Communication - remote working can sometimes make communication a challenge, this can impact on team dynamics and efficiency
  • Boundaries - increased flexibility and freedom can blur the boundaries of work and personal time, which can lead to a mismanagement of time and/or burnout

Censorship

• Restricting access to online content based on different beliefs of what is acceptable or harmful can lead to social unrest
• Censorship can be used to preserve cultural identify and tradition, but can also stifle cultural expression and diversity

What is an environmental issue?

• An environmental issue is an issue caused by manufacturing and use of computers that has a negative impact on the environment
• As technology becomes a bigger part of everyday life, the number of devices being manufactured increases

Examples of environmental issues in computing

Natural resources

• A great amount of natural resources (metals/plastic) are used during the manufacturing and distribution of components

Energy consumption

• An increase in demand for 24/7 access to resources such as web servers and data centres means an increase in the energy needed to maintain them

Throw-away society

• As consumption of technology increases and competition in the market expands, the rapid disposal of devices becomes a problem
• Pollution caused by the production, distribution and disposal of technology gets higher
• The volume of waste in landfill causes environmental contamination

What is a privacy issue?

• A privacy issue is an issue that comes from collecting, accessing or using personal information without consent or control
• Who controls the data and how it is used raises crucial questions as technology becomes a bigger part of every day life

Examples of privacy issues in computing

Face recognition

• The increase in cameras and advances in technology means face recognition is possible, whilst this can mean an advantage in crime prevention/detection, people are concerned about privacy.
• Privacy concerns include, what else is being watched? and who is watching?

GPS

• GPS is built in to most smart phones and brings with it a number of features that many see as a benefit, 'find my phone' for when it gets lost/stolen, location tagging in photos and for navigation software.
• Some users are concerned with where this data is kept? ,who might have access to it? and is it being used for any other purposes?

Internet monitoring

• Most schools and businesses use monitoring software to track their students' and employees' internet activity
• Social media companies also employ similar tools to detect and remove illegal or harmful content like hate speech, misinformation, or violent threats
• Arguments for, these measures promote responsible online behaviour and prevent cyberbullying
• Arguments against, concerns about limitations to free speech, potential abuse by authorities who control the monitoring systems, and biased algorithms leading to censorship