How does the collection and tracking of data affect personal privacy, and what is the trade-off involved?
Privacy and the impact of data collection, tracking and surveillance, including cookies and location data, and the balance between privacy, security and convenience.
An Eduqas GCSE Computer Science answer on privacy and the impact of data collection, tracking and surveillance, including cookies and location data, and the trade-off between privacy, security and convenience.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to discuss privacy and the impact of data collection, tracking and surveillance, including cookies and location data, and the trade-off between privacy, security and convenience. As an extended-response topic, you should give both the benefits and the concerns and reach a balanced conclusion.
What data is collected and how
The benefits of data collection
The privacy concerns and the trade-off
Try this
Q1. State what a cookie is. [1 mark]
- Cue. A small file a website stores on a user's device to remember information and track browsing.
Q2. Give one benefit of companies collecting data about users. [1 mark]
- Cue. Personalised services and recommendations (or fraud detection, or improved products).
Q3. State the main trade-off involved in widespread data collection. [1 mark]
- Cue. More data can bring more convenience and security but at the cost of personal privacy.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas Component 1, 20226 marksDiscuss the impact of widespread data collection by companies and governments on personal privacy, considering both benefits and concerns.Show worked answer →
This is an extended-response question marked in bands, so give points on each side and a balanced conclusion.
Benefits: data collection enables personalised services and recommendations, helps detect fraud and crime, improves products, and can support public health and safety.
Concerns: people may not know what is collected or how it is used; tracking (cookies, location) can feel intrusive; data can be sold, leaked or used for surveillance; profiling can affect prices, opportunities or freedom.
A top-band answer weighs convenience and security against the loss of privacy and reaches a reasoned conclusion, for example that data collection is acceptable only with transparency, consent and strong protection. Markers reward balance, examples and a justified conclusion.
Eduqas Component 1, 20233 marksExplain what cookies are and one privacy concern they raise.Show worked answer →
Cookies (up to 2 marks): small files a website stores on a user's device to remember information between visits, such as login details, preferences or items in a basket, and to track browsing.
Privacy concern (1 mark): tracking cookies can record a user's browsing across many sites to build a profile for targeted advertising, often without the user fully understanding or consenting, which intrudes on privacy.
Markers reward a correct description of cookies and a concrete privacy concern (tracking/profiling), not just "they store data".
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Sources & how we know this
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE Computer Science specification (from 2016) — Eduqas (2020)