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The following example has been written by 91�ȱ� Bitesize consultants as a suggestion of the type of question that may appear in an exam paper.

The last few years have seen the rise of takeaway food delivery services that accept orders from mobile devices connected to the Internet. Describe the ethical implications of a company having access to personal data and explain what measures would need to be in place to protect customer personal data.

How to tackle the question

The first step is to decompose the question:

1. Identify the people involved (stakeholders)
2. Identify any technology involved
3. Identify any potential issues associated with the topic, such as social, legal, ethical and environmental concerns
4. Describe the effects of those issues on the stakeholders

Identify the key people involved

In the context of this question, the stakeholders could be:

• users of such apps and services
• food production employers
• employees

Identify the technology involved

In the context of this question, the technology could be:

• the internet
• secondary storage devices
• wireless networks

Identify the issues associated with the topic

In the context of this question, the issues could be:

• social - greater technical knowledge needed by companies
• social - employment practices could change
• environmental - there may be an increase in pollution from extra vehicles making deliveries
• environmental - an increase in waste products from packaging would be a threat

Describe how the issues may affect the stakeholders

In the context of this question, the implications could be:

• Staff at food production companies may have to learn new technologies as orders come in via the internet.
• Food delivery services employ workers who are classed as self-employed. These employees do not earn a salary but only get paid for the deliveries they make. The increased growth of food delivery services would mean more people being employed on this basis.
• Deliveries require vehicles. The greater the number of deliveries there are, the greater the number of vehicles on the road. This could potentially increase congestion and environmental pollution. However, the mode of transport used for deliveries should also be considered. Some workers may use human-powers vehicles like bicycles instead of cars or motorcycles.
• Delivered food often requires extra packaging. The more packaging, the more potential waste is produced.

It is important to state the issues clearly and to comprehensively explain the effects they may have on stakeholders. Answers should show a good level of written English and where possible, include technical terms.

Remember, you do not have to know everything about a topic in an essay-style question to gain marks. The mark scheme includes the social, legal, ethical and environmental impacts related to Computer Science and you will not be expected to have any knowledge beyond this.