Impacts of TechnologyDeep Dive

Deep Dive: Balancing Benefits and Risks

Part of Ethical IssuesGCSE Computer Science

This deep dive covers Deep Dive: Balancing Benefits and Risks within Ethical Issues for GCSE Computer Science. Revise Ethical Issues in Impacts of Technology for GCSE Computer Science with 15 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 3 of 5 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

Topic position

Section 3 of 5

Practice

15 questions

Recall

12 flashcards

Deep Dive: Balancing Benefits and Risks

Example: Facial Recognition Technology

Benefits:

  • Finding missing persons quickly
  • Catching criminals and preventing crime
  • Convenient phone unlocking and authentication
  • Enhanced security at airports and borders

Risks:

  • Mass surveillance concerns and loss of anonymity
  • Bias against certain ethnic groups
  • Privacy invasion in public spaces
  • Potential misuse by authoritarian governments
  • Data breaches exposing biometric information

Why this matters: Ethical decisions require weighing these factors carefully. There's rarely a simple answer - it depends on context, safeguards, and societal values. Computer scientists must consider the broader impact of their work beyond just technical capability.

Keep building this topic

Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Ethical Issues. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Practice Questions for Ethical Issues

Which of the following best describes an ethical issue in computing?

  • A. A technical bug in a program that causes it to crash
  • B. A question about whether a technology is used in a morally right or wrong way
  • C. Breaking a law by hacking into a computer system
  • D. The cost of purchasing new computer hardware
1 markfoundation

Explain what is meant by the digital divide and describe two ways it can affect people who do not have access to technology.

3 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

What is an ethical issue?
A question about what is morally right or wrong
What does PADS-B stand for in ethical issues?
Privacy, Automation, Digital divide, Surveillance, Bias in AI

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