GCSE Computer Science: Legal, Ethical and Environmental Issues Guide

Legal issues

Laws such as the Computer Misuse Act (covers hacking and unauthorised access), the Data Protection Act (covers how personal data must be handled) and copyright law (protects original software and content) govern how computing is used.

Ethical issues

Ethical questions in computing include how personal data and algorithms should be used responsibly, the impact of automation on jobs, and fairness in how technology is designed and who can access it.

Cultural issues

Technology can affect different cultures and communities differently — for example, unequal access to the internet and devices (the "digital divide") can widen existing social and economic inequalities.

Environmental issues

Computing has an environmental impact through energy use (particularly in large data centres), electronic waste from discarded devices, and the resources used to manufacture new hardware.

Common mistakes

• Mixing up which law covers which issue, such as confusing the Data Protection Act with the Computer Misuse Act.
• Treating legal and ethical issues as the same thing — something can be legal but still raise ethical concerns.
• Forgetting environmental impact includes manufacturing and disposal, not just energy use while running.