Societal Impacts
Section B2, Informatics Practices. Covers Digital footprint and netiquette; Intellectual property; Cybercrime and cyber law; E-waste and health; Project-based learning.
About this unit
Technology affects individuals and society in many ways. This unit looks at the traces people leave online, good manners on the Internet, and the rules that protect creative work, including copyright, licences, free and open source software and Creative Commons. It also covers cybercrime and India's Information Technology Act, the problem of electronic waste, the health effects of long hours at a computer, and how to plan and carry out projects in teams.
Key ideas
- Active and passive digital footprints; netiquette and communication etiquette.
- Intellectual property rights: copyright, patent and trademark; plagiarism.
- Licences: proprietary, GPL, Apache and Creative Commons; FOSS.
- Cybercrimes such as hacking, phishing, identity theft and cyberbullying; the IT Act, 2000.
- E-waste hazards and the reduce, reuse and recycle approach.
- Ergonomics, eye strain and posture.
How to prepare
Learn clear definitions and one example for each term. Most questions are situation-based: decide whether an action is plagiarism, which licence allows a use, which crime is described, or what a user should do. Avoid memorising section numbers you are unsure of; focus on concepts.
Topics in this chapter
Digital footprint and netiquette
Leaving traces online and behaving well on the web and social media.
5 questionsIntellectual property
IPR, plagiarism, licensing, copyright, FOSS and Creative Commons.
5 questionsCybercrime and cyber law
Hacking, phishing, cyberbullying and the Indian IT Act.
5 questionsE-waste and health
E-waste hazards and management; eyesight, posture and ergonomics.
5 questionsProject-based learning
Approaches to projects and teamwork.
5 questions