Legal, Moral & Ethical Issues is a core part of A-Level Computer Science. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.
Data protection lawRules for handling personal data fairly and securely.
Computer Misuse ActMakes unauthorised access to computers illegal.
PrivacyProtecting individuals' personal information.
Environmental impactEnergy use and e-waste from computing.
Intellectual propertyCopyright and licensing of software and content.
Digital divideUnequal access to technology.
Data Protection ActUK legislation governing how personal data must be collected, stored and processed.
GDPRGeneral Data Protection Regulation: EU/UK law on personal data rights, consent and transfer.
Computer Misuse Act 1990UK law making unauthorised access, modification and impairment of computers a criminal offence.
CopyrightLegal right protecting creators' work, including software, music and writing.
E-wasteDiscarded electronic equipment; an environmental concern due to toxic materials.
SurveillanceThe monitoring of people's activities and communications using technology, raising tensions between security benefits and civil liberties.
Algorithmic biasSystematic unfairness in automated decisions, often arising when systems are trained or designed using data that reflects existing prejudices.
Automation and employmentThe replacement of routine human work by software and machines, displacing some jobs while creating new, often more technical, roles.
Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one: