Impact of a Computing Innovation - Recurring Assignment

Assignment

Impact of Computing assignment

• Find a current day example a computing innovation that has a beneficial and harmful impact on society.
• When you find your example, complete the chart below with details about your example
• Note some of the key concepts you will be tracking with each entry
  • Purpose of the computing innovation answers the question "What is it made for?"
  • Function of the computing innovation answers the question "How does it work?"
  • Beneficial effects are ways the computing innovation benefit users
  • Harmful effects are related to the computing innovation itself rather than outside influence (in other words, hacking is not a harmful effect you should mention)
• On designated days in each Unit, students will share your "find" and why you feel it is an important example to share.
• At the end of the presentations, students will vote on the most important or noteworthy example of the day.
• We will use a scoreboard to keep track of the class votes throughout the year (and there might be a surprise for the winner at the end of the year. 😉)

Assignment Example

Link to Article or Example

NHS Covid-19 app: How England and Wales' contact-tracing service works

Summary of its purpose and function

Purpose: Keep track of people who have COVID-19 and notify people to self-isolate if their phone detects they were near someone later determined to have the virus

Function: When two devices that have the app are close to each other, they exchange Bluetooth "handshakes" to determine the distance and duration of the contact (measured in 5 minute increments). It keeps a score of the contact between the two people, and, if later one of them tests positive, the other one receives a message that they have been in contact with someone who tested positive.

Summary of its impact on the world

It is meant to keep people in England and Wales safe and change their behavior to make them less likely to catch or transmit COVID-19.

Beneficial effects are

It can help reduce the spread of COVID.

Harmful effects are

The information collected could violate people’s privacy and be used for things other than stopping the spread of COVID. It also raises equity concerns for those who may not have access to the app.

Do you think these effects were unintended or intended when the developers created them? Explain

I think developers want to believe that their app will only be used to keep track of COVID cases, but may not anticipate someone using the information in a court case related to a custody issue or some other proceeding. I think they know there will be equity issues, but decide the benefits outweigh the problem.