DoAssignment study guide

C3.1 · Describe legal and ethical computing issues

Learn to describe legal and ethical computing issues through clear examples and targeted practice.

Ontario Grade 10 Computer Science

Computers and Society

Making responsible choices when creating, sharing, and using digital technology

Computers help us create, store, and share information. Those activities can affect other people, so a computing choice may raise a legal issue, an ethical issue, or both. A legal issue concerns rules established by law. An ethical issue concerns what is fair, respectful, and responsible. This lesson considers everyday school examples. It does not replace advice about a particular legal situation: rules can depend on the details and location.

What you will learn

Describe the difference between a legal issue and an ethical issue in computing.
Recognize how copyright and permission matter when using digital work.
Identify privacy and accessibility concerns in a familiar computing situation.
Explain a responsible choice and the reasons for making it.

1. Two useful questions: Is it allowed? Is it responsible?

A legal issue asks whether an action follows applicable laws or rules that have legal force. An ethical issue asks whether the action treats people fairly and responsibly. The two questions are related, but they are not identical. An action can be legal yet still feel unfair or inconsiderate. An action can also raise a legal concern even if someone says they meant no harm.

For example, a student might find a photograph online and want to use it in a class presentation. The image being easy to find does not by itself mean the student has permission to copy or share it. Copyright rules can affect how creative work is used. A separate ethical question is whether the presentation gives appropriate credit and respects the creator.

In a computing situation, input is the information or material a person provides, process is what the person or computer does with it, and output is what results. These words help describe what is happening; they do not decide whether the action is legal or ethical. Ask about the material, the action, the people affected, and the likely result.

Legal: asks whether an action follows applicable law.
Ethical: asks whether an action is fair, respectful, and responsible.
Finding content online does not automatically give permission to reuse it.

2. Respect creative work and permission

Creative work can include photographs, drawings, music, writing, and software. Copyright is a legal issue connected with rights in creative work. The details of what is permitted can depend on the work and the way it is used. For a school task, a responsible first step is to use material supplied for the task, material clearly offered for the intended use, or material for which permission has been obtained. Follow the teacher’s instructions and any stated conditions.

Credit and permission are different ideas. Naming a creator can be respectful and may be required by assignment instructions, but credit alone does not necessarily give permission to copy or share a work. Likewise, changing a few details does not automatically make another person’s work yours. When unsure, ask the teacher or the person responsible for the material rather than assuming.

This is an input–process–output way to examine the example: the input is a photograph; the process is copying it into a presentation and possibly sharing the presentation; the output is a presentation viewed by others. Thinking through each part helps reveal where permission, credit, and the audience matter.

Creative work may have legal protections.
Credit identifies a creator; it does not automatically grant permission.
Check stated conditions and ask when the permitted use is unclear.

3. Protect privacy and consider accessibility

Privacy is a concern whenever computing involves information about a person. A name, photograph, location, or personal message may identify someone or reveal something about them. Before collecting or sharing such information, consider who will see it, why it is needed, and whether the person has agreed to the use. A student should follow school directions and ask a responsible adult when unsure. Avoid sharing another person’s information just because a device or website makes sharing easy.

Consider a class project that asks students to post a recording. A student may not want their voice or image shared with a broad audience. The ethical concern is whether the project respects that person’s choice and privacy. The legal situation can depend on details, so do not assume that one simple rule settles every case. A more respectful approach may be to ask about an alternative way to participate and to limit sharing to the intended audience.

Accessibility is another ethical concern: can people with different needs use or understand the digital material? For example, a student who cannot easily distinguish colours may have trouble with instructions that use colour alone to mark correct answers. Adding clear words or symbols can make the information easier to understand. This is a practical design choice that considers who may be excluded. It does not require assuming that every learner has the same needs; where possible, ask users what would help.

Think before collecting or sharing information about another person.
Consider the audience, purpose, and the person’s choice.
Accessible alternatives can help more people use digital material.

4. Use a careful decision process

When a computing choice feels uncertain, pause and describe it plainly. Identify what information or creative work is involved, what action is planned, and who may be affected. Then consider both questions: are there rules or permissions to check, and is the choice respectful and fair? If the answer is unclear, do not treat uncertainty as permission. Ask a teacher or another appropriate adult.

A responsible decision does not have to be complicated. A student preparing a presentation can choose an approved image, credit its creator as instructed, avoid including personal details about classmates, and make the slides understandable without relying on colour alone. These steps address different concerns; solving one does not automatically solve the others.

For practice, take a familiar digital action—posting a photo, using a song, or collecting responses—and describe its input, process, and output. Then name one possible legal question, one ethical question, and a responsible next step. The purpose is to explain the issue, not to pretend that every case has the same answer.

Describe the action and identify who may be affected.
Check rules and permissions separately from considering fairness and respect.
Ask for guidance when the situation is uncertain.

Worked example

Using an online photograph

A student finds a photograph online and wants to place it in a presentation that will be shared with the class. What should the student consider before using it?

Identify the input
The input is the photograph, which is someone’s creative work. Being visible online does not tell the student whether copying or sharing it is permitted.
Describe the process and output
The process is placing the photograph in a presentation. The output is a presentation that classmates will see. Sharing with an audience makes it important to check the intended use and any conditions.
Choose a responsible next step
The student should check the source and stated conditions, follow the teacher’s directions, and ask if permission is unclear. Credit the creator as required, while remembering that credit alone does not necessarily grant permission.

Answer: Check whether the photograph may be used in this presentation and shared with the class. Follow any conditions and credit instructions; ask if permission is unclear.

Check: The answer distinguishes finding a photograph from having permission to reuse it.

Worked example

Sharing a classmate’s recording

A student has a recording that includes a classmate’s voice and wants to post it where many people can view it. Identify a privacy concern and a responsible response.

Identify the information
The recording contains a person’s voice, which may identify them. The input is the recording and the information it reveals.
Consider the process and audience
Posting is the process. A large audience is the output’s likely reach. The classmate may not expect or want the recording shared that widely.
Pause and ask
The student should not assume that having the recording means they should post it. They should ask the classmate and follow school directions; if the situation remains unclear, ask a teacher. The appropriate legal answer can depend on details.

Answer: The recording may reveal personal information. Check the classmate’s choice and school directions before sharing, and ask a teacher if unsure.

Check: This response identifies privacy and audience as concerns without claiming that one answer applies to every legal situation.

Worked example

Making instructions easier to access

A class activity marks correct answers only in green and incorrect answers only in red. A student may have difficulty distinguishing those colours. Describe the issue and one improvement.

Identify who may be affected
The input is the activity’s colour-only feedback. A student who cannot easily distinguish the colours may not understand which answers are correct.
Consider the output
The output is feedback that may be unclear to some students. This raises an accessibility and fairness concern because not everyone can use the information equally easily.
Improve the information
Add words or symbols as well as colour—for example, labels that say “correct” and “try again.” The labels provide another way to understand the feedback.

Answer: Colour-only feedback may exclude a student who cannot distinguish the colours. Add clear text or symbols so colour is not the only way to understand the result.

Check: The improvement addresses the specific barrier described without assuming that every student has the same needs.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Assuming that anything found online is free to copy.

Correction: Check the source, permission, and stated conditions before reusing creative work.

Thinking that naming the creator always gives permission.

Correction: Credit and permission are different; credit does not necessarily authorize copying or sharing.

Treating privacy as only a technical setting.

Correction: Also consider what information is shared, who can see it, and the person’s choice.

Assuming that a design works for everyone because it works for one person.

Correction: Consider possible barriers and provide another way to understand or use the information.

Lesson summary

Legal issues concern applicable laws; ethical issues concern fairness, respect, and responsibility.
Online availability does not automatically mean a creative work may be reused.
Consider privacy before collecting or sharing information about people.
Accessibility means considering whether people with different needs can use or understand digital material.
Describe the input, process, and output, consider who is affected, check permissions, and ask for guidance when unsure.

Check your understanding

Question 1

A student credits the creator of an online image but has not checked whether it may be copied into a shared presentation. What is the best conclusion?

Credit always gives permission to copy.
The student should still check whether the use is permitted.
Anything used for school is automatically permitted.
Changing the image’s size makes it the student’s work.

Show answer and explanation

The student should still check whether the use is permitted.

Credit identifies the creator, but does not necessarily grant permission to copy or share the work.

Question 2

Which is an ethical concern when a classmate’s voice is included in a recording someone plans to post?

Whether the classmate wants the recording shared with that audience.
Whether the recording has a descriptive file name.
Whether the device screen is bright enough.
Whether the post uses a large font.

Show answer and explanation

Whether the classmate wants the recording shared with that audience.

The classmate’s privacy and choice are relevant to whether sharing is respectful.

Question 3

An activity uses colour alone to show which answers are correct. What change could make the feedback more accessible?

Use more shades of the same colours.
Remove the feedback.
Add text or symbols as well as colour.
Show the colours for less time.

Show answer and explanation

Add text or symbols as well as colour.

Text or symbols offer another way to understand the feedback if the colours are difficult to distinguish.

Question 4

In an input–process–output description of posting a class recording, which is the process?

The recording itself.
Posting the recording.
The people who may view it.
The classmate’s voice.

Show answer and explanation

Posting the recording.

The process is the action performed—in this case, posting. The recording is input, and what viewers receive is output.

Key terms

Legal issue: A concern about whether an action follows applicable laws or rules that have legal force.
Ethical issue: A concern about whether an action is fair, respectful, and responsible.
Copyright: Legal protection connected with rights in creative work.
Privacy: A person’s interest in information about them and how that information is collected or shared.
Accessibility: How well people with different needs can use or understand information or a digital activity.
Input, process, output: A simple way to describe information provided, an action performed, and the result.

Continue through ICS2O

View the complete ICS2O Ontario Grade 10 Computer Science curriculum and lessons

Tutor support for C3.1 · Describe legal and ethical computing issues

Working on C3.1 · Describe legal and ethical computing issues in ICS2O? Bring the question and your own attempt. In a live session, you can trace a small example and find the first step where the output differs from what you expected. Ask about the first step that does not make sense, then try a similar question yourself.

Explore coding tutoring · Request an eligible free 30-minute introduction. Your request is matched by subject and language; a tutor must accept before a time is confirmed.

برای مبحث C3.1 · توضیح مسائل حقوقی و اخلاقی رایانش در درس ICS2O، سؤال و تلاش خود را همراه بیاورید. در جلسه می‌توانید یک مثال کوچک را دنبال کنید و نخستین گامی را که خروجی با انتظار شما فرق دارد پیدا کنید. راهنمای معلم برنامه‌نویسی را ببینید یا جلسهٔ معارفهٔ رایگان ۳۰ دقیقه‌ای درخواست کنید. زمان جلسه پس از پذیرش معلم قطعی می‌شود.

About this lesson and its review

Published by DoAssignment. This reviewed lesson follows Ontario Grade 10 Computer Science (ICS2O), expectation C3.1. It is a study resource, not an official curriculum publication.

Before publication, content is checked for structure, mathematical or chemical notation, calculations, course boundaries, and readability. Errors can still occur, so corrections are welcomed.

Official curriculum reference

Report a correction or ask a question