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9618 · 7.1

Ethics and Ownership — practice questions

Practice and worked examples for 9618 Ethics and Ownership. Short previews only — attempt the full question in MarkScheme against the official scheme.

Worked example 1

A programmer working for a social media company is asked to implement a new feature that tracks users' locations even when the app is not actively in use. The data will be sold to advertisers. The programmer feels this is a violation of user privacy. Using the principles of a professional code of conduct, explain the ethical dilemma and the appropriate course of action.

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  1. Identify the Ethical Conflict: The core conflict is between the duty to the employer (to implement the feature as requested) and the duty to act in the public interest (to protect user privacy).
  2. Apply Code of Conduct Principles:
    • Public Interest: Tracking users without their explicit, informed consent and selling that data is a significant privacy intrusion, which is against the public interest. This principle suggests the feature is unethical.
    • Professional Competence and Integrity: Integrity requires the programmer to be honest and forthright about the potential harm. Implementing a feature they know to be harmful could be seen as a breach of professional integrity.
    • Duty to Relevant Authority: While the programmer has a duty to their employer, this duty is not absolute and is usually superseded by the duty to the public and the law.
  3. Course of Action: The ethical course of action is not to blindly implement the feature. The programmer should first raise their concerns with their direct manager, clearly explaining the ethical issues based on the code of conduct. If the manager insists, the programmer should consider escalating the issue to a higher authority within the company, such as the legal or ethics department. Resigning may be a final resort if the company decides to proceed with the unethical practice.

Worked example 2

A student is creating a game for their A-Level project. They download a music track from a website offering 'royalty-free' music after a one-time payment of £10. They also copy a character sprite from an online art gallery where the artist has written 'All Rights Reserved'.

(a) Explain whether the student is permitted to use the music track in their game. [2] (b) Explain the ethical and legal problems with using the character sprite. [3]

Show solution outline

(a) Yes, the student is permitted to use the music track. [1] By paying the £10 for a 'royalty-free' license, they have legally acquired the right to use the music in their project without paying further royalties. They have adhered to the terms set by the copyright holder. [1]

(b) Legal Problem: The phrase 'All Rights Reserved' is a formal declaration that the artist retains full copyright. Using the sprite without explicit permission is copyright infringement, which is illegal. [1] Ethical Problem: Using the artist's work without permission and passing it off as part of their own project is a form of plagiarism, as it fails to credit the original creator. It is dishonest. [1] Action: The student should not use the sprite. They should either create their own, find one with a suitable license (like Creative Commons), or contact the artist to request permission to use it. [1]

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