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EFC621S - ETHICS FOR COMPUTING- 1ST OPP - NOV 2024 |
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n Am I BI A u n IVER s I TY
OF SCIEnCE Ano TECHnOLOGY
Faculty of Computing & Informatics
Informatics Department
QUALIFICATION: Bachelor of Informatics, Bachelor of Computer Science, Bachelor of Cybersecurity
QUALIFICATION CODE: 07BAIT; 07BCMS; 07BCCY
LEVEL: 6
COURSE: Ethics for computing
COURSE CODE: EFC621S
DATE: November 2024
DURATION: 3 Hours
SESSION:
MARKS: 100
EXAMINER(S)
MODERATOR:
FIRST OPPORTUNITY EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPER
Dr Munyaradzi Maravanyika
Prof Gloria lyawa
Ms Sinte Mutelo
Prof Attlee M. Gamundani
THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF 8 PAGES
{Including this front page)
Instructions for the candidate
1. Answer ALL questions. Write as many details as possible. Unanswered questions receive
ZERO marks.
2. Organise your work. Work scattered all over the page without clear ordering might receive
little credit.
3. This is a closed-book exam.
4. Please ensure that your writing is legible, neat and presentable.
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Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (30 Maries)
Select the most appropriate answer for each question. Each question carries 1 marl<.
1. Which ethical theory emphasises the greatest good for the greatest number?
A) Deontology
B) Utilitarianism
C) Virtue Ethics
D) Relativism
2. What does IP stand for in the context of intellectual property?
A) Internet Protocol
B) Intellectual Property
C) Internal Process
D) Information Privacy
3. Which law primarily deals with software piracy?
A) GDPR
B) DMCA
C) HIPAA
D)FERPA
4. The digital divide refers to:
A) The gap between software and hardware development
B) The disparity in access to technology among different populations
C) The separation between on line and offline activities
D) The difference between various programming languages
5. Whistle-blowing in a professional context refers to:
A) Promoting company products
B) Reporting unethical or illegal activities within an organisation
C) Enhancing team communication
D) Increasing workplace efficiency
6. Which of the following is a form of cyberbullying?
A) Email phishing
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B) Online harassment through social media
C) Software debugging
D) Data encryption
7. Virtual Reality (VR) poses ethical challenges primarily related to:
A) Hardware malfunctions
B) User privacy and psychological effects
C) Network latency
D) Software licensing
8. Which of the following is NOT a type of intellectual property?
A) Trademark
B) Patent
C) Copyright
D) Liability
9. Employee monitoring in the workplace raises concerns about:
A) Productivity
B) Privacy
C) Technology adoption
D) Salary structures
10. Which framework is commonly used for ethical decision-making in computing?
A) SWOT Analysis
B) ACM Code of Ethics
C) Agile Methodology
D) Lean Six Sigma
11. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is primarily concerned with:
A) Software licensing
B) Data privacy and protection
C) Network security
D) Intellectual property rights
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12. Which of the following is an example of a software liability?
A) High licensing fees
B) Software causing financial loss due to bugs
C) User interface design
D) Open-source licensing
13. Telecommuting can lead to:
A) Increased worl<place harassment
B) Enhanced work-life balance
C) Reduced need for cybersecurity
D) Decreased productivity
14. In the context of Al ethics, "bias" refers to:
A) The preference for certain algorithms
B) Prejudiced outcomes based on flawed data
C) Hardware limitations
D) Software inefficiency
15. Which of the following best describes a trademark?
A) A government-issued software license
B) A symbol legally registered to represent a company or product
C) An idea protected by copyright
D) A patent for a new invention
16. Cybercrime includes all EXCEPT:
A) Hacking
B) Identity theft
C) Physical theft of hardware
D) Online fraud
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17. The purpose of professional codes of conduct is to:
A) Increase company profits
B) Establish ethical standards for professionals
C) Define technical specifications
D) Regulate software pricing
18. Which ethical theory focuses on the inherent rightness or wrongness of actions?
A) Utilitarianism
B) Deontology
C) Pragmatism
D) Existentialism
19. Software risk assessment involves:
A) Increasing software features
B) Identifying and mitigating potential software failures
C) Marketing software products
D) Designing user interfaces
20. Which of the following is a strategy to prevent cyberbullying?
A) Increasing software complexity
B) Implementing strict online policies and education
C) Reducing internet access
D) Encouraging anonymous interactions
21. Intellectual property rights protect:
A) Physical assets
B) Ideas and creations of the mind
C) Natural resources
D) Government policies
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22. The relationship between law and morality is best described as:
A) They are identical
B) Law is a subset of morality
C) Morality influences law, but they are not the same
D) They are completely unrelated
23. In mobile ecosystems, security issues primarily concern:
A) Battery life
B) App permissions and data protection
C) Screen resolution
D) Hardware compatibility
24. Which of the following is an example of a trade secret?
A) A company's logo
B) The formula for Coca-Cola
C) A published research paper
D) A patented invention
25. Analysing the societal impacts of computing includes studying:
A) Hardware specifications
B) The digital divide and workplace transformations
C) Software development methodologies
D) Network protocols
26. Whistle-blowing can lead to:
A) Increased company secrecy
B) Exposure to unethical practices
C) Improved software performance
D) Reduced employee turnover
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27. Privacy issues in online social networks involve:
A) Network speed
B) Data sharing and user consent
C) Application development
D) Hardware design
28. Emerging ethical challenges in cyberspace include:
A) Hardware obsolescence
B) Digital identity theft and online anonymity
C) Software licensing
D) Data storage solutions
29. A key component of ethical decision-making frameworks is:
A) Profit maximisation
B) Stakeholder analysis
C) Ignoring legal constraints
D) Technical feasibility
30. Employee monitoring technologies must balance:
A) Cost and efficiency
B) Productivity and privacy
C) Software updates and hardware maintenance
D) User experience and interface design
Section B: Short Structured Questions (40 Marks)
Answer each question concisely. Each question carries 1Omarks.
1. Analyse the relationship between morality, ethics, and law in the context of
computing.
2. Apply an ethical decision-making framework to resolve a dilemma where a
software engineer discovers a security flaw in their company's product that could
compromise user data.
3. Evaluate the societal impacts of computing, particularly focusing on the digital
divide and workplace transformations such as telecommuting.
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4. Explain the importance of intellectual property rights pertaining to computer
technology and software development.
Section C: Case Study (30 Marks)
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Read the following case study and answer the questions that follow. Each question
carries 15 marks.
Case Study: Ethics in Data Analytics
Scenario:
XYZ Analytics is a company specialising in data analytics for marketing purposes. The
company has access to personal data from users across various social media platforms,
including demographic details, browsing behaviour, and online purchasing history.
Recently, XYZ Analytics developed a new predictive model to forecast consumer
behaviour and has started selling this data to third-party advertisers without explicit
consent from the users.
One of the major clients, TechMart, used this predictive model to launch targeted user
advertisements. However, it was found that the model disproportionately targeted
individuals from marginalised communities with certain high-interest loans. Additionally,
some of the predictive outcomes led to users needing to be more profiled accurately,
affecting their on line experiences and opportunities.
A whistle blower within XYZAnalytics raised concerns about the ethical implications of this
model. They argued that using data without explicit consent violated user privacy and that
the profiling mechanisms could reinforce societal inequalities. The management
responded by stating that their data usage complies with platform policies and that users
implicitly agreed to such data processing when using social media platforms.
Questions:
1. Evaluate the ethical issues involved in XYZ Analytics' use of personal data in
its predictive model. (15 Marks)
2. What ethical frameworks or principles could XYZ Analytics apply to mitigate
the negative consequences of their actions? Provide specific strategies they
could implement. (15 Marl<s)
End of Question Paper
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