Abuse of IT

Cyber Bullying:

• Cyber bullying is hurting another person’s feelings through some type of technology such as; emailing, chat rooms and texting.
• It is often is caused by young people; this is due to them using social networking sites for instance; Facebook.
• Cyber bullying includes have a rumour spread about you or an embarrassing photo being posted online without your permission.
• People bully others because they find it big and they often encourage their friends to join in as well because they find it funny.
• Previously, bullying only took place in schools but now with a few clicks hundreds of emails and images can be posted with a click of a button.

Spam:

• Spam is sending large amounts of unwanted emails through electronic junk mail. Anyone who has access to an email account would receive spam emails, which are extremely annoying.
• However, some spam emails may contain an attachment so it is vital that you take care when opening as they may contain viruses such as; malware.
• Numerous ISP (Internet Service Providers) use ‘spam filters’ this tries to prevent spam emails from getting into your inbox. However, it is extremely difficult to separate spam from wanted emails.
• Once, your spam emails have been diverted they will go into your ‘Junk’ box but you must always ensure that they are all spam emails and are not important emails which have accidently been filtered.

Phishing:

• Phishing is a form of internet fraud where criminals try to access people private and financial information such as; credit cards, passwords and bank accounts.
• Criminals trick email users, by sending an email to users pretending that they work for the bank, by using a identical logo and bank name.
• A link is often attached asking for the user to sign into their online bank account. Then, this forces the user to sign in.
• However, the email user doesn’t know that a criminal is in control of the web page. This allows the criminal to gain bank details and enables them to steal money.

 Denial of service attacks:

• This involves disabling a server, which is an illegal act.
• This prevents a web server from delivering a service; this is due to, to many users wanting to access the same web server.
• There are numerous reasons why this may happen for example; a criminal may black mail a retailer company through threatening messages unless the company gives the criminals a sum of money.

 

Unequal Access

Local and national implications:

Broadband Internet:

• People who live in rural areas are unable to have access to broadband internet this is because of the distance they live from a telephone exchange.
• Also, for a small number of subscribes to have broadband internet living in rural areas, it is extremely expensive for telephone or cable companies to lay them out.

Internet Based Services:

• For the other generation it is difficult for them to understand new technology which is being created.
• Many services are now internet based for instance; water, gas and electricity supplies which is causing older people to struggle.
• This may cause them to have an economic disadvantage because some water, gas and electricity supplies offer a cheaper rate if customers use their online services.
• However, the internet is not free; some families cannot financially afford the charge for internet, which puts them at a disadvantage compared to wealthy families.

Global Implications:

Less Economically Developed Countries:

• In less economically developed countries numerous people struggle to find internet access.
• Due to this, a range of projects have been put in place to help tackle this problem for instance; One Laptop Per Child and 50×15.
• However, some people financially can afford internet access. This process is called Digital Divide.
• Many schools and work environments rely on internet access, so it puts other economically developed countries at a disadvantage.

 

Ethical Impacts

The Data Protection Act:

• The Data Protection Act was created in 1998.

• When discussing about the Data Protection Act, there are two key terms which you have to learn. The first one being ‘Personal Data’ this includes facts and opinions about an individual. Secondly, ‘Data Subject’ this is where a person has data and information about you.

• There are 8 principles in this Act and is significant to follow due to private documents being stored for example; medical records.

The Eight Principles Consist Of:

• Personal data should be dealt with fairly and lawfully. You shouldn’t just take someone’s private information; you must ensure you have permission off the individual. Also, tell the individual why you want the information.

• Private data can only be held for specific purposes. People should only use the data for the reason they have provided. If they use it for another purpose, this is breaking the law.

• Personal data should be acceptable and relevant for the required purpose, not excessive amounts. Organisations should only take the information they need and no more. For example; a school would need your parents/careers phone number to contact them in case emergency. However, they don’t need to know unnecessary information such as; your eye colour.

• Personal information should be kept up to date. It is essential that companies enter the correct data otherwise it could cause confusion. For instance; normally schools ask your parents to check that addresses and phone numbers haven’t changed, so they can keep the school system up to date.

• Personal data should be disposed of when it is no long necessary. Organisations have to keep personal data for a certain time length but after that it should be disposed of. However, hospitals may need to keep patient records for a minimum of 25 years because they may need to refer back to the information later on, maybe if they need to be treated with an illness.

• Data must be processed with the rights of the data subject. Individuals have the right to view information that organisations have on them. Also, they can change information if anything is incorrect.

• Security measures are put in place to be able to access individual’s documents. This is to ensure that hackers and employees don’t access documents they aren’t aloud. Also, data must be safeguarded against the loss of information.

• Personal data is not allowed to be transferred from different countries. Companies from countries such as; outside the E.U, who wishes to exchange information, aren’t allowed unless they have a similar legislation in place.

Legal Impacts

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act

Before the use of computers:

• Before the use of computers and the Word Wide Web (WWW); people brought music, artwork, videos and books from the shops. However, due to the internet being created people copy files, download files and burn them/sell them.

Why was ‘The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act’ created?

• The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act was created in 1988 was created to reduce this issue.
• The main issue why the Act was put in place was to protect individuals work.
• Also, to stop copyright holders from stealing others work which they have been rewarded for.

Examples of copyright:

• The most common examples of copyright are copying images from the web, downloading music and copying text from webpages and saying it is your own work.
• Numerous people do this as it is a more efficient and cheap way of retrieving files.

Consequences if you break the ‘Copyright, Designs and Patents Act’:

• If you have copyrighted a file and you get found out there are a series of consequences that are put in place such as; you may get fined or go to court and in serious cases taken to prison.

The disadvantage:

• The disadvantage is, it is hard for the police to track the amount of people who copyright information.

Ultra Violet:

• Peer to peer sharing is distributing and sharing files over torrent websites for instance; Ultra Violet.
• Ultra Violet software is where an individual purchases a music or video file and then you can add the file to your icloud safely and securely.
• You are then able to watch the files over various mediums such as; laptops, tablets and smartphones.

Economic Impacts

Employment and Job Opportunities:

• Before computers were created any form of documents such as; paperwork, reports were all written using a typewriters.

Disadvantage of Employment and Job Opportunities:

• The disadvantage of this is there was a lot of paper which had to be stored. However, today there is less of a need for paper; this is because everything is sent through electronic communication via emails.
• If something happens to the electronic device all the documents are lost, so it is significant that you keep important information in paper copy form as well as.

Advantages of Employment and Job Opportunities:

• The impact of moving to an IT society is that all documents are sent electronically. Although, this is a benefit because it doesn’t cost to post letters.
• Also, it would benefit you if you back up your device regularly onto another device. Due to the internet, numerous people are working at home; this is a benefit for parents with young children.
• Also, because of the internet, several new job opportunities have been created, some jobs which have never been existed over 10 years ago.

Sustainability:

• Computers and other IT devices such as; smartphones and tables have caused a huge impact on electricity. The costs are rising due to the amount of people who need electricity. Also, the need for energy supplies has increased in the market causing competition.

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE):

• The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) Directive, 2007) has been created to outline the guidelines of how to dispose of electrical equipment in the safest way. This is to stop people retrieving your information for example; bank details and other financial information.
• People can still access your information even if you have wiped the device. Ink cartridges have to be disposed of in this way because they contain strong ink which can cause damage.

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT):

• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is provided on electrical equipment for instance; plug sockets. This is to ensure that the health and safety requirements are met to prevent harm to workers.

Social Impacts of ICT

The Use of Free Time:

Social impacts on IT have previously consisted of communicating through letters as well as playing board games and going out with friends.

Social impacts of IT that have changed over time:

• The impact has changed over time due to the internet being more popular; people started using instant chat in 1900.
• Nowadays, people take the internet for granted especially young teenagers as they communicate through social networking sites such as; Facebook.

Positive Impacts of Free Time:

• It is a benefit for people to communicate through social networking sites as it is more efficient and cheaper than posting letters due to the cost of stamps.
• Another benefit is the older generation or disabled people can communicate online if they are unable to get out the house.

Negative Impacts of Free Time:

• Negative impacts with social networking as it is encouraging people to be lazy.
• Also, it can cause cyber bullying.            

 

Impact of local communities:

• The impact of IT upon local communities has decreased due to the amount of choice shops on the local high street offer; this is because people shopping online.
• Previously, there was a variety of local high street shops which sold a diverse range of goods and services.
• However, numerous shops have closed down in the local high street due to the less demand of shops.

Competing with other Local Communities:

• Some shops which are still open have to compete with other local stores by using ‘free Wi-Fi’; as this will attract customers.

Advantage of Local Communities:

• The advantage of shops staying open is it is local for people who need to purchase their essentials.

Disadvantages of Local Communities:

• The disadvantage of shops closing down is more people are made redundant and struggling to find other jobs elsewhere.
• As well as it is making people lazier as they aren’t getting out they are just staying at home.

 

 

 

Digital Divide

Introduction:

Adults need to take a more active interest in their children’s use of technology. If this doesn’t happen then there will be a ‘growing digital divide’ between children. And they will become socially excluded. 

Technology:

Many children will be left behind if the child’s parents are unaware and uninterested in their education.  It is vital for the child’s sake to keep up to date with the changes and move with the times and embrace technology and introduce it to the child, especially the internet and social networking which use educational tools. However this can be difficult if parents come from deprived backgrounds. They may financially struggle or have addictions whereby they spend their money ineffectively i.e. smoke, drugs, alcohol. The children may suffer as parents may not be able to afford the new technology. Children who are not introduced to new technology are bound to suffer educationally.  For people who cannot afford to subscribe to the internet or to own their own laptop should make use of the FREE facilities the library offers.

 Comparison:

In comparison parents who are interested in their children’s education and identify the importance of new technology as a way of learning and engage with the child on a daily basis will be strongly identified at school, especially during these times of rapid changes in technology, as the child will be confident in using the equipment and be inquisitive to learn more about new technology and benefit greatly from the advantages it brings to children’s futures.

 Digital Divide:

Digital Divide will clearly identify those who have access to ICT and those who do not. They will be identified by the ‘Internet-haves’ and the ‘Internet-have-nots’.

 

Professionals who have examined the future of education in a digital world and have identified that children are required to use all skills; communication, collaboration, presentation, accessing experts, creating, editing, and project build etc.

Some parents may feel uncomfortable about young people blogging, but this is a mistake as studies have found that children who blog have higher levels of literacy than those who do not, after all it is seen to encourage them to write more.

Children tend to be more technology-literate than adults and ‘digital native’ is a relatively new term which describes the generation of children who are growing up with digital technology. Consequently ‘Digital immigrants’ is a new term which is used to describe parents who have not grown up with technology and know little.

 As a parent you must ensure that your child does not end up on the wrong side of the ‘digital divide’.

The use of the internet across the globe is uneven and your ‘Geographic Location’ will also depend on which side of the ‘digital divide’ you fall. People who live in developing countries have lower internet access than in countries such as America. 

Statistics:

A survey which was carried out showed that there were 378 million internet users, which when broken down represented 6.2% of the world population.  The interesting fact was when the figures were actually broken down by country which is where ‘digital divides’ are clearly identified.

 

The figures show:

 

• ·         North America’s share is 43%
• ·         Western Europe’s share is 24%
• ·         Asia, including Japan has a 21% share
• ·         Latin America’s share is only 4%
• ·         Eastern Europe’s share is 4.7%
• ·         Middle East a mere 1.3% share
• ·         Africa 0.6% share

 This digital-divide will see increasing wealth and also poverty depending on various parts of the world as regions without internet lack the capability to compete in a fast moving global market.

 

Digital divide has caused us to address the knowledge gap so that everyone has the skills and education to be able to use ICT openly in the society in which they live.

 Solutions towards Digital Divide:

In addition to this; there isn’t really any solutions due to the fact technology is changing so much, if you don’t stay up to date you just get left behind. However, there could be a fund created for developing countries to provide better teaching as well as for disadvantage families who are unable to afford technical devices.

Spam

What is Spam?

SPAM is ‘junk mail’ received through your e-mail system. Senders send the same message to thousands of random mail addresses in the hope that people will respond. The e-mail probably contains a fake offer to buy something, they are usually sent through companies wanting to advertise their products.

How does Spam affect people?

 

SPAM is a very common way of sending viruses. Some e-mails contain an internet link at the bottom of the message which invites you to click in order to remove yourselves from their mailing list. This actually confirms that the e-mail address of the reader is a valid one. Also, this could include some type of fraught; to make you think that it’s your bank emailing you and wants bank details from you; when really it is someone who wants to hack into your computer. You should never give your bank details through email, because someone could have access to your bank. Once you receive a SPAM e-mail it forms a type of chain as the SPAM sender then adds your address to a list which they then send to other spammers. If a virus is downloaded it could put some sort of malware onto your computer for instance spyware.

Solutions to prevent Spam?

A solution to this is to install anti-spam software to prevent unwanted e-mails. It stores details of known SPAM addresses and when an incoming email message is sent from one of these addresses the message will be diverted into a spam folder where it will be deleted after a few days. You can also add to the list different names of company’s which you don’t want to receive emails from, preventing them from reaching your in box.

Phishing

What is Phishing?

Phishing is also known as ‘Identity Theft’. Phishing is emails which appear to come from a trustworthy source such as a bank or online shops but are actually not the company they are portraying to be. They encourage you to visit their website and re-enter your password or other personal data. As the website is fake the owner of that site will use the data they collect from you and hack into your real bank account to withdraw money. Phishing emails are examples of SPAM.

The email will ask you to confirm personal information such as contact details, login information or even passwords. These emails tempt people to visit malicious websites by creating ‘links’ that take you to fake sites set up to look like the real thing. These sites steal passwords and account details, tricking you.

How does phishing affect people’s lives?

People’s lives can be destroyed by these malicious e-mails. If you fall victim to them, your identity and finances can be affected causing devastating consequences such as money being withdrawn from your bank accounts. I recommend you to get in contact with your banks, if you notice any money has disappeared.

Solutions to prevent Phishing:

If you ever receive an official-looking e-mail requesting personal information simply delete it, this includes requests to reset login information or verify an account. Alarm bells should ring if anyone asks for personal information such as passwords, credit card details, log in information etc. Under no circumstances should anyone ever ask for these details and under no circumstances should this information ever be revealed. Businesses NEVER ask for personal details to be confirmed by e-mail.

As an extra precaution Internet Explorer Version 7 has a Phishing Filter which can be set up.

Cyber-Bullying

What is Cyber-Bullying?

Cyber bullying is an on-line risk and a growing problem. Also, it often accrues more than once; deliberate, repeated, intentional victimisation of a person. Technology is misused for example Blackberry Messenger (BBM), Facebook, Twitter and Email in order to threaten, harass, humiliate or embarrass victims. Examples of cyber bullying can be; if someone sends you a malicious message by text or to the web. But, hacking into somebody’s account and changing their profile or posting embarrassing personal information about another person is also cyber bullying; this can lead to people committing suicide. However, severity has increased over numerous years because technology has improved causing people to use it.

There are different forms of cyber-bullying:

• Flaming Online arguments using electronic messages with aggressive or abusive language.
• Harassment Repeatedly sending abusive, insulting or unwanted messages.
• Denigration Spreading gossip lies or rumours about someone to damage their reputation or friendships.
• Impersonation Pretending to be someone else and sending or posting material.
• Outing Disclosing someone else’s secrets or embarrassing information online without their consent.
• Trickery Talking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing information, then publishing it online.
• Exclusion Intentionally excluding someone from an online group.
• Cyberstalking Repeated, intense harassment and denigration that includes threats or creates significant fear.

How does Cyber-Bullying affect people?

Cyber bullying can have devastating effects leaving victims frightened and leaving emotional damage rather than physical scars. It can happen at any time of the day or night during the 24 hour day. Cyber bullying is slightly different from verbal bullying as they keep their distance, but numerous cyber bullies believe that they won’t get caught. However, it actually is a lot easier as whatever is posted or said online can be retraced. It is mostly common among teenagers.

Cyber Bullying Methods:

Text Messages The use of ‘pay as you go’ handsets makes it very hard to trace individuals; therefore the victim may never know the identity of the bully. Text Messages are often threatening, offensive and persistent.

Picture/video-clips via mobile phone cameras ‘Happy slapping’ is a term used where physical assaults are filmed and then shared. This leaves the victim feeling threatened and embarrassed. Clear images would have been captured and sent to others perhaps by Bluetooth or uploading pictures online.

Mobile phone calls Bullies bombard their victims with silent or persistent calls and abusive messages, or steal the phone and use it to harass others, causing the victim to appear responsible for the call.

E-mails Multiple e-mail accounts can be set up easily using false names, which makes it possible to send threatening or bullying emails without trace.

Chatrooms Without security measures chatrooms are an easy way of targeting people. This includes on games sites, consoles and virtual worlds.

Instant Messaging (IM) Once messages are posted they are in ‘cyberland’ and it is too late for reflection or censorship. Arguments can escalate which could include groups of people ganging up on one target. Think before you send as you cannot undo what has been sent.

Social Networking Sites A quick and easy way to catch up, share photos and have fun if appropriate security settings are in place. Pressure to have a large number of followers can lead to the risk of accepting ‘strangers’ as ‘friends’, leaving personal information about you open to all. It is easy to open a false account and pose as someone else, allowing them to hide their true identity as well as stalk you. You are also open to the spread of gossip and rumours.

According to recent research the reason why children become cyber-bullies is:

• 81% think it is funny
• 64% do not like the person
• 45% view the victim as a loser
• 59% think cyber-bullying is no big deal
• 47% think there will be no consequences
• 45% think they won’t get caught

Problems:

In addition to this, we have to acknowledge that cyber bullies may have problems at home perhaps their parents’ relationships or even they are getting bullied themselves. However, cyber bullying is no different from any other bullying in which ever case it makes you feel isolated, have anxious feelings and maybe school grades could be affected.

Solutions to prevent Cyber-Bullying:

You must be aware of the solutions can be made to prevent cyber bullying, If you are ever unfortunate enough to experience cyber bullying; then you must block the user immediately; this means that you won’t be able to see their profile and they won’t be able to see yours, which stops communication altogether. Never forward messages which you have received from the cyber bully, always print screen and save the chat, then speak to an adult. I also recommend that if you are getting bullied online to click the ‘report’ button, this button appears on all digital communications; you use that button when you are getting some type of abuse, it then automatically sends a copy of the cyber bullying abuse to CEOP (Child Exploitation Online Protection) and sometimes ISP (Internet Service Provider).

What is blamed for Cyber-Bullying?

Technology is blamed for cyber bullying but it should be identified that this is a ‘social problem’ and should be prevented in the first place by educating people. Such as; e-safety, schools, parents and children conversations. It is important to talk about cyber bullying and raise awareness of it, especially to young people.