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By the end of this subtopic, you should be able to:
understand the need for and purpose of ethics as a computing professional
understand why joining a professional ethical body is important, including bodies such as BCS and IEEE
understand why computing professionals need to act ethically, and explain the effects of ethical or unethical behaviour in a given situation
understand why copyright legislation is needed
understand different types of software licensing and choose a suitable licence for a given situation, including:
understand what Artificial Intelligence (AI) is
understand the impact of AI, including:
understand applications of AI
Ethics means principles about what is right and what is wrong. These principles help people decide how they should behave. In computing, ethics is very important because people who design, build, and manage computer systems make decisions that can affect many other people.
A computing professional may create software, manage data, build websites, design networks, develop AI systems, or give IT support. In all of these jobs, their choices matter. A poor choice can harm users, businesses, or even society. This is why ethics is needed.
The purpose of ethics in computing is to guide people when the law alone is not enough. Sometimes something may be legal, but still unfair or harmful. For example, a company might collect large amounts of user data in a way that is technically allowed, but if users do not properly understand what is happening, many people would still see this as unethical. Ethics helps computing professionals think carefully about fairness, honesty, safety, privacy, and responsibility.
A computing professional should act in ways that protect people and respect their rights. This includes using technology responsibly, keeping data safe, being honest with clients and users, and avoiding harm. Ethics is therefore not just about following rules. It is about making good decisions when using technology.
Computing systems are used in almost every part of life. They are used in schools, hospitals, banks, transport, businesses, and homes. Because computers are so powerful and so widely used, ethical behaviour in computing is very important.
A computing professional may deal with:
If professionals act ethically, they help create trust. Users are more likely to trust a system if they know it has been made and managed responsibly. If professionals act unethically, people can lose money, privacy, safety, or confidence in technology.
For example, a software developer who secretly copies code without permission is acting unethically. An IT technician who looks at private files without permission is also acting unethically. A company that knowingly releases unsafe software is behaving unethically too.
A professional ethical body is an organisation that sets standards for how members should behave in their professional work. These organisations often publish a code of conduct, which is a set of rules or principles for responsible behaviour.
Joining a professional ethical body is important because it shows that a person is serious about doing their work properly and ethically. It also gives them guidance when they face difficult situations.
Two important examples in this syllabus are BCS and IEEE.
BCS stands for the British Computer Society. It is a professional body for people working in IT and computing. It promotes good practice and ethical behaviour in technology-related work. Members are expected to follow a code of conduct.
IEEE stands for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. It is an international organisation for engineers, developers, and computing professionals. It is well known for setting standards and encouraging ethical and professional behaviour.
Joining an ethical body is useful for several reasons.
First, it gives professionals clear ethical guidance. They do not have to make every decision completely on their own. They can use the code of conduct to help them decide what is right.
Second, it improves trust. Clients, employers, and colleagues are more likely to trust someone who belongs to a respected professional body.
Third, it helps build a stronger professional reputation. Membership shows that a person cares about high standards and responsible behaviour.
Fourth, ethical bodies often support training and development. Technology changes quickly, so computing professionals need to keep learning.
Finally, ethical bodies may provide support and advice when members face difficult problems at work.
A computing professional should act ethically in all parts of their work. This includes how they treat team members, clients, users, and the public.
To act ethically means to behave in a fair, honest, responsible, and respectful way. To act unethically means to behave in a dishonest, unfair, careless, or harmful way.
Here are some examples of ethical behaviour in computing:
Here are some examples of unethical behaviour:
Ethical behaviour has many positive effects.
If a manager treats software developers fairly, the team is more likely to feel respected and valued. This can improve teamwork and help the team produce better work. If staff are given proper training and fair pay, they are likely to stay motivated and do their jobs well.
If a company behaves honestly with clients, the clients are more likely to trust it. This can improve the company’s reputation and help it succeed in the long term.
If user data is handled carefully and safely, users are protected from harm. They are more likely to keep using the system because they feel secure.
Unethical behaviour can cause serious problems.
If a company overcharges customers or lies about what a system can do, clients may lose trust and take their business elsewhere. If a worker copies software illegally, the company could face legal problems. If personal data is misused, users may suffer embarrassment, financial loss, or a loss of privacy.
Inside a workplace, unethical behaviour can damage teamwork. For example, unfair treatment or favouritism can cause anger and conflict. This may reduce the quality of the final product.
In short, ethical behaviour builds trust, safety, and quality. Unethical behaviour creates harm, conflict, and loss of confidence.
Copyright protects original work. This includes things such as software, music, videos, writing, images, and other creative work. Copyright law exists because creators should have control over their own work.
The need for copyright legislation is very important in computing. Digital work can be copied very easily. Without copyright law, people could freely copy software, games, music, and other materials without paying or asking permission. This would make it much harder for creators and companies to earn money from the work they produced.
Copyright legislation makes it illegal to copy, distribute, modify, or use protected work without permission when the licence does not allow it. This helps protect intellectual property, which means creations of the mind such as software programs, designs, and digital media.
Copyright law is needed because it:
In computing, copyright is especially important for software. Creating software often takes a lot of time, skill, and money. If people could simply copy and share it freely without permission, the original developer might not be paid for their work.
A related idea is plagiarism. Plagiarism means copying another person’s work or ideas and pretending they are your own. In computing, this could happen if someone copies code, coursework, documentation, or digital content without giving credit.
Using another person’s ideas is not always wrong, but you must give proper credit when required. Ethical behaviour includes acknowledging the work of others.
A software licence is a legal agreement that explains how software may be used. It tells the user what they are allowed to do and what they are not allowed to do.
Software licensing is important because not all software can be used in the same way. Some software can be changed and shared. Some can be used for free but not changed. Some must be paid for. Some allow a trial period only.
The syllabus requires you to know four main types of software licensing:
You may also see the term freeware, but it is not required in the syllabus list of licences. So the main focus should stay on the four listed above.
Commercial software is software that users usually have to pay for before they can use it. The developer or company keeps strong control over it.
With commercial software:
This type of licence is suitable when a company wants full control over its product and wants to make money from selling it.
For example, a business that spends years developing professional accounting software might choose a commercial licence. This helps protect the product and allows the company to earn money from customers who buy it.
Shareware is software that users can try for free, but only with limits. The limits may be based on time, features, or both. After the trial, the user usually has to pay for the full version.
With shareware:
This type of licence is useful when a developer wants people to test the software first. It can encourage more users to try the product and then decide whether to buy it.
For example, a photo-editing program might allow free use for 30 days and then ask the user to pay to continue using all features.
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) supports software that is released under open source licences. Open source software makes the source code available to users. Source code means the human-readable instructions that programmers write.
With OSI-style open source software:
This type of licence is suitable when collaboration, improvement, and transparency are important. It allows a community of developers to work together on the software.
For example, a school that wants students to study how a program works may prefer open source software because students can inspect the code.
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) focuses on user freedom. In this context, “free” mainly means freedom, not just zero price.
FSF-style software gives users important freedoms, including the freedom to:
This means the source code must be available. The user has much greater control than with commercial or shareware software.
This type of licence is suitable when the main goal is to protect user rights and freedom to use, study, modify, and share software.
It is very important to compare these licences clearly.
Commercial software gives the developer the most control and is usually paid for. Shareware allows a trial, but the developer still keeps control and usually charges for full use. OSI open source software allows users to access and modify the source code, but users must still follow the licence conditions. FSF software also provides source code access, but places a stronger focus on software freedom and user rights.
In exam questions, you may be asked to justify which licence is best for a certain situation. To answer well, you must match the licence to the needs of the user or developer.
Here are some examples.
If a company wants to sell a program and stop users from editing or sharing it, commercial software is the best choice. This protects the company’s work and helps it earn income.
If a developer wants users to try software before paying, shareware is a good choice. It gives people a chance to test the product first.
If a school or developer community wants people to study, improve, and share code, an OSI licence may be suitable. It encourages teamwork and transparency.
If the main aim is to protect the user’s freedom to run, change, and share software, an FSF licence is suitable.
When you justify a licence, do not just name it. Explain why it matches the situation.
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is when a computer system or machine shows behaviour that seems intelligent. In simple words, AI allows a machine to do tasks that normally need human thinking.
An AI system may be able to:
AI does not think exactly like a human, but it can follow rules, use data, and sometimes improve its performance based on experience.
The syllabus only requires a general understanding of AI, so you should focus on what it is, what it can be used for, and its impact.
An application of AI means a use of AI in a real situation.
AI can be used in many areas. Here are examples that fit this topic:
AI can be used in a computer game so that the computer can play against a human. The AI stores rules, looks at possible moves, and chooses the move that seems most likely to succeed. It may also improve by learning from past games.
AI can help doctors by analysing medical data, helping with diagnosis, supporting treatment planning, and monitoring patients. This can improve speed and accuracy, but human checking is still important because mistakes can be serious.
AI can be used in educational software to give personalised support, mark work automatically, or suggest learning materials based on student performance.
Businesses use AI for tasks such as customer support, recommendation systems, fraud detection, and analysing large amounts of data quickly.
AI can also be used in route planning, traffic control, and systems that help machines or devices make decisions automatically.
The social impact of AI means how AI affects people and society.
AI can bring social benefits. It can improve healthcare, support learning, and make some services faster and easier to use. It can also help people by doing repetitive or tiring tasks.
However, AI can also create social problems.
One issue is job changes and job losses. Some jobs may be automated, which means machines or software take over tasks that humans used to do. This can lead to unemployment in some areas, although new jobs may also appear.
Another issue is the digital divide. This means some people have better access to technology than others. If AI tools are only available to people with strong internet access, good devices, or better education, inequality may grow.
There are also concerns about decision-making in important areas such as healthcare. If an AI system makes a wrong decision, it can affect real people in serious ways. This is why human oversight is important. Human oversight means a person still checks, supervises, or controls what the AI is doing.
Bias is another concern. If an AI system is trained using poor or unfair data, it may make unfair decisions. This can affect people’s opportunities and treatment.
The economic impact of AI means how AI affects jobs, businesses, money, and the economy.
AI can increase productivity. This means work can be done faster and more efficiently. Businesses may save time and reduce costs by using AI systems.
AI can also support innovation, which means creating new products, services, or ways of working. Companies can use AI to improve customer service, analyse markets, and build new business models.
But AI can also cause economic problems. Some workers may lose jobs if companies automate routine tasks. Businesses may need to spend money on retraining workers so they can do new kinds of jobs.
AI may also increase inequality between businesses. Large companies may have more money and better access to AI tools, while smaller businesses may struggle to compete. This can concentrate power and wealth in a smaller number of organisations.
The environmental impact of AI means how AI affects the natural world.
Large AI systems often need a lot of computing power. This means they use a lot of electricity. If that electricity comes from non-renewable sources, AI use can increase carbon emissions.
Running large data centres for AI can also put pressure on energy supplies. This means AI can have a negative environmental effect if it is not managed carefully.
AI can also increase demand for special hardware such as powerful processors. As new hardware is produced more often, older devices may be thrown away. This adds to electronic waste, or e-waste, which is waste made from old electronic equipment.
However, AI can also help the environment. It can be used in climate modelling, energy management, and sustainable agriculture. For example, AI can help improve energy use in smart systems or help predict weather and climate patterns.
So, the environmental impact of AI includes both negative and positive effects. In exams, it is important to show balance.
This whole subtopic is about using technology responsibly and understanding who owns digital work.
Ethics helps computing professionals make good decisions. Ethical bodies such as BCS and IEEE support professionals by giving guidance and standards. Acting ethically builds trust and reduces harm.
Copyright legislation protects original work and helps creators keep control of what they have made. Software licences explain how software may be used, copied, changed, or shared. Different licences suit different situations.
AI is an important part of modern computing. It has many useful applications, but it also brings social, economic, and environmental issues. This is why ethics and ownership are so closely linked to computing.
Ethics — principles about what is right and wrong.
Computing professional — a person who works with computers, software, data, networks, or digital systems.
Ethical body — an organisation that sets standards for professional behaviour.
Code of conduct — a set of rules or principles that members of a profession are expected to follow.
BCS — British Computer Society, a professional body for IT and computing.
IEEE — Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, an international professional body that promotes standards and ethical behaviour.
Integrity — acting honestly and responsibly, and following strong moral principles.
Copyright — legal protection for original work so others cannot use it without permission.
Intellectual property — something created by the mind, such as software, music, writing, or designs.
Plagiarism — copying another person’s work and pretending it is your own.
Software licence — a legal agreement that explains how software may be used.
Commercial software — software that is normally paid for and tightly controlled by the developer.
Shareware — software that is free to try for a limited time or with limited features, then payment is required for full use.
Open source — software with source code that users can view, and usually modify and share, under licence conditions.
Free Software Foundation (FSF) — an organisation that supports software freedom, including the right to run, study, change, and share software.
Open Source Initiative (OSI) — an organisation that supports open source software and open source licences.
Source code — the human-readable instructions written by programmers.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) — computer systems that can perform tasks that usually need human intelligence, such as learning, deciding, or solving problems.
Human oversight — people supervising or checking what an AI system does.
Bias — unfairness in decisions, often caused by poor or unbalanced data.
E-waste — discarded electronic devices and equipment.
Explain why ethics is needed for a computing professional.
Model Answer:
Explain two reasons why joining a professional ethical body such as BCS or IEEE is important for a computing professional.
Model Answer:
A software company copies another company’s program and sells it as its own product. Explain why copyright legislation is needed in this situation.
Model Answer:
A school wants software that students can study, modify, and share for learning purposes. Which type of software licence would be most suitable? Justify your answer.
Model Answer:
Describe one application of AI and explain one social, one economic, and one environmental impact of AI.
Model Answer:
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