What is it
This topic covers the wider impact of computing on society — data privacy, the Computer Misuse Act, copyright law, and the ethical questions raised by technologies like AI and automation.
Why it matters
Technology doesn't exist in a vacuum — every system you might build one day affects real people's privacy, jobs, and rights. This topic asks you to think like a responsible computer scientist, not just a technically skilled one.
Exam tip
For extended-response questions here, examiners want you to consider both sides of an issue (e.g. benefits AND risks of an AI system) before reaching a conclusion — one-sided answers score lower even when technically correct.
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