Questions
Tutorial 3 – Privacy
(NIT2201 IT Profession & Ethics / ECB2112 Security, Privacy & Ethics)
1. Do you find smart technology like binCAM intrusive?
Yes. binCAM photographs everything I throw away and posts the images online, turning a private act into public surveillance and social pressure, so it is intrusive.
2. What is social engineering?
Social engineering is psychological manipulation—rather than technical hacking—to make people reveal information or change behaviour, e.g., devices that “nudge” users to act as designers prefer.
3. What should a truly smart garbage bin achieve?
It should help, not police:
- Identify each item and quietly indicate the correct bin (recycle / compost / landfill).
- Store data locally unless I choose to share.
- Offer private progress stats so I can set and track my own eco-goals.
4. “Privacy is a fundamental human right.” Do you agree?
Yes. Without a private sphere citizens cannot safely dissent, experiment, or grow; privacy is a democratic safeguard against unequal power and thus a basic human right.
5. How can trust be established in the Internet world?
By aligning incentives and enforcing transparency: governments and firms must spell out what data they collect, why, how it benefits users, and submit to independent oversight and security audits.
6. Are we getting better security by sacrificing our privacy?
So far, large-scale data collection mainly offers a promise of better security; clear evidence of benefits is scarce, so the trade-off often favours privacy loss without proven safety gain.
7. How do we hold governments accountable for mass data collection?
Enact laws limiting collection, require warrants, mandate transparent public reporting, empower independent watchdogs and courts to audit programmes, and impose penalties for misuse.
8. If people value privacy, why post so much on Facebook or blogs?
Immediate social rewards, connection, validation, convenience, feel tangible, while privacy risks seem abstract or distant; many also underestimate how widely or permanently data can spread.
9. Pros & cons of employers running criminal background checks.
Pros: helps protect workplace safety, reduces liability, builds trust for sensitive roles.
Cons: may perpetuate bias, ignore rehabilitation, deter qualified applicants, and invade privacy when offences are irrelevant to the job.
10. Special responsibilities of computer professionals regarding privacy.
Design systems with privacy by default, minimise data collected, secure it rigorously, inform users transparently, follow legal/ethical standards, and advocate for policies that protect citizens’ privacy.