Ethical Issues in Computing
Understand Ethical Issues in Computing for GCSE Computer Science with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Foundation and Higher exam-style questions with worked answers for AQA GCSE Computer Science (8525). Ethical issues consider whether the use of technology is right or fair for people and society.
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These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA specification. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.
Topic overview
Ethical issues concern what is right rather than what is legal, and the two do not always agree.
Several areas must be considered. Automation raises questions about workers whose jobs are replaced, even where replacing them is entirely lawful. Algorithmic decision-making raises questions of bias, because a system trained on past data can reproduce past discrimination while appearing objective. Surveillance raises questions about how much monitoring is proportionate.
The digital divide is a further concern: those without reliable internet access or a suitable device are increasingly excluded from services that assume everyone has both. When answering, give a specific consequence for a specific group rather than saying something is simply unfair.
Revision notes
What makes an issue ethical
Ethics concerns what is right, whereas law concerns what is permitted.
An action can be legal but widely considered wrong. Ethical questions usually involve weighing benefits to one group against harms to another.
Key ethical areas
Automation replacing jobs. Algorithmic bias, where systems trained on past data reproduce past discrimination.
Surveillance and how much monitoring is proportionate. The digital divide, excluding those without reliable access or devices.
Answering ethical questions
Name the specific group affected and the specific consequence for them.
'It is unfair' earns nothing. 'Older people without smartphones cannot access the service, so they are excluded from a benefit others receive' identifies both the group and the harm.
Key points
- Ethics concerns what is right, not what is legal.
- An action can be legal but unethical.
- Automation raises questions about replaced jobs.
- Algorithms can reproduce past discrimination.
- The digital divide excludes those without access.
- Name the group and the specific consequence.
Worked examples
Example 1
Explain the difference between a legal issue and an ethical issue. [2 marks]
Working
Example 2
Explain one ethical concern about using an algorithm to shortlist job applicants. [2 marks]
Working
Example 3
Explain what is meant by the digital divide. [2 marks]
Working
Common mistakes
Saying something is unfair without explaining why.
Name the group affected and the specific harm.
Confusing ethical with legal issues.
Ethics is about right and wrong, not legality.
Giving only benefits of a technology.
Ethical questions require the harms as well.
Ignoring who is affected.
The specific group matters to the answer.
Exam tips
- Always name the affected group.
- Give a specific consequence, not a vague judgement.
- Distinguish ethical from legal clearly.
- Weigh benefits against harms.
Key terms
- Ethics
- Concerning what is right rather than what is legal.
- Algorithmic bias
- A system reproducing discrimination present in its training data.
- Digital divide
- Inequality between those with and without digital access.
- Automation
- Machines performing work previously done by people.
Related topics
Written and reviewed against the current AQA specification. Spotted an error? Let us know.