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DSST Ethics in Technology study materials
DSST Ethics in Technology study resources

DSST Ethics in Technology practice questions

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Question 1Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A fitness app asks for access to a user's full contact list even though its only advertised feature is step counting. Which privacy principle is most directly violated?

  1. Data minimization Correct answer.
  2. Net neutrality
  3. Open-source licensing
  4. Digital watermarking

Explanation

Data minimization means collecting only the personal information needed for a specific purpose. A step-counting feature does not need a contact list, so the request creates avoidable privacy risk. Ethical design should match data collection to a clear user benefit.

Question 2Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A retailer combines browsing history, purchase records, and location data to infer that a customer is likely pregnant, then sends targeted ads before the customer has told family members. What is the central ethical concern?

  1. The ads may be unpopular because they use too few data points
  2. Inference can reveal sensitive information even when no single data item was explicitly disclosed Correct answer.
  3. Targeted advertising is ethical only when done by government agencies
  4. The retailer cannot use any customer data for business purposes

Explanation

Privacy risk often comes from aggregation and inference, not only from obvious sensitive fields. Combining routine data can expose intimate facts that the person did not knowingly choose to share. Ethical profiling requires attention to consent, context, sensitivity, and potential harm.

Question 3Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Which design choice best supports meaningful privacy notice?

  1. Hide all data practices in a long legal document only after account creation
  2. Explain key data uses in clear language before collection and link to the full policy Correct answer.
  3. Ask users to consent after data has already been sold
  4. Use vague phrases such as 'we may use data for improvements' without examples

Explanation

Meaningful notice gives users understandable information at the time it matters. A concise explanation before collection, backed by a complete policy, helps people make informed choices. Notice is weaker when it is hidden, late, vague, or impossible to act on.

Question 4Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A student posts a comment in a closed course discussion board, and a classmate screenshots it for a public social media post. Which privacy concept best explains why this can still be wrong even though the first post was online?

  1. Context matters because information shared with one audience may not be intended for every audience Correct answer.
  2. Anything posted online is ethically free for unlimited redistribution
  3. The screenshot becomes public domain automatically
  4. Closed groups have no privacy expectations because they use the internet

Explanation

Privacy expectations depend on context, audience, and purpose. Sharing within a course forum is different from broadcasting to a public audience. Ethical online conduct respects contextual boundaries even when copying is technically easy.

Question 5Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Publishing someone's home address, phone number, and workplace online to encourage harassment is best described as what?

  1. Doxxing Correct answer.
  2. Caching
  3. Version control
  4. Load balancing

Explanation

Doxxing is the disclosure of private or identifying information about a person, often with hostile intent. It can expose the target to stalking, threats, identity theft, or physical danger. Ethical online conduct avoids amplifying personal data to invite harm.

Question 6Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A messaging platform changes its default setting so every user's profile becomes searchable by email address unless the user finds and disables the setting. Which ethical issue is most direct?

  1. A privacy choice was made through default exposure rather than affirmative user control Correct answer.
  2. The company improved encryption too quickly
  3. The platform stopped all personal data collection
  4. Email addresses are never personal information

Explanation

Defaults strongly shape user behavior because many people never change settings. Making users searchable by default can expose them to unwanted contact or identification. Privacy-respecting design often uses protective defaults and clear opt-in choices for expanded visibility.

Question 7Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A city releases an 'anonymous' transit dataset, but each record includes exact timestamps, station entries, and exits. Researchers can match some trips to known work schedules. What lesson does this illustrate?

  1. Removing names always makes a dataset risk-free
  2. Detailed datasets can sometimes be re-identified through linkage with outside information Correct answer.
  3. Public agencies should never release statistics
  4. Timestamps protect privacy better than aggregation

Explanation

De-identification can fail when records contain unique patterns that can be linked to other information. Exact times and routes may reveal where a person lives, works, worships, or receives care. Safer release may require aggregation, noise, suppression, access controls, or a decision not to publish.

Question 8Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A government agency wants to monitor all citizens' private messages to detect crime. Which safeguard most directly addresses the privacy and civil-liberties concern?

  1. Independent legal oversight, defined limits, and minimization of collected information Correct answer.
  2. Allowing monitoring only when the software is inexpensive
  3. Publishing every intercepted message for transparency
  4. Removing all records of surveillance decisions

Explanation

Surveillance powers raise risks of abuse, chilling effects, and disproportionate intrusion. Oversight, legal standards, purpose limits, minimization, and accountability help align surveillance with rights and public safety. Cost alone does not answer the ethical question.

Question 9Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A social network collected phone numbers for account security, then used those numbers to improve ad targeting without making that use clear. Which issue is most central?

  1. Secondary use beyond the purpose users reasonably understood Correct answer.
  2. Improper use of binary numbering
  3. A failure to compress images efficiently
  4. An unavoidable requirement of two-factor authentication

Explanation

Data collected for one purpose can create ethical problems when reused for another incompatible purpose. Users may provide a phone number for security because they trust that context. Purpose limitation and transparency help prevent this kind of surprise secondary use.

Question 10Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

After discovering that customer passwords were exposed, which response is most ethically responsible?

  1. Investigate, contain the breach, reset affected credentials, and notify users as required Correct answer.
  2. Keep the breach secret so customers do not worry
  3. Delete logs before anyone asks questions
  4. Blame customers before confirming what happened

Explanation

An ethical breach response focuses on stopping harm, preserving evidence, fixing the weakness, and giving affected people useful information. Password exposure can let attackers reuse credentials elsewhere, so reset and notification steps matter. Hiding the event or destroying logs increases harm and reduces accountability.

Question 11Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Why can posting vacation photos in real time create a privacy or safety risk?

  1. It may reveal that a home is currently unoccupied Correct answer.
  2. It permanently deletes metadata from every image
  3. It prevents friends from seeing the post
  4. It encrypts the user's location history

Explanation

Real-time location sharing can expose routines, absences, and personal movements. Even harmless posts can be used by people outside the intended audience if privacy settings fail or content is reshared. Delayed posting or audience limits can reduce risk.

Question 12Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A smart doorbell company wants to improve community safety while respecting privacy. Which design choice best balances those goals?

  1. Make all camera feeds public by default
  2. Provide clear recording indicators, local controls, limited retention, and narrowly scoped sharing choices Correct answer.
  3. Require users to share video with every nearby business
  4. Disable security updates after purchase

Explanation

Smart cameras can help security but also capture neighbors, visitors, and passersby. Clear indicators, user controls, retention limits, and narrow sharing reduce unnecessary surveillance. Ethical IoT design considers people who are recorded even if they did not buy the device.

Question 13Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A website displays a large green 'accept all tracking' button and hides the 'reject' option behind several confusing screens. What is the best ethical description?

  1. A dark pattern that undermines meaningful consent Correct answer.
  2. A required form of encryption
  3. An example of data minimization
  4. A neutral design because every option technically exists

Explanation

Dark patterns manipulate users into choices they might not make with fair presentation. Consent is weaker when refusal is intentionally difficult, confusing, or hidden. Ethical consent flows make important alternatives understandable and comparable.

Question 14Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Repeatedly sending threatening messages to a classmate through multiple accounts is primarily an example of what online conduct problem?

  1. Cyberbullying or online harassment Correct answer.
  2. Data normalization
  3. Cloud replication
  4. Public-key encryption

Explanation

Threats and repeated hostile messages are forms of online harassment and may escalate to serious personal harm. The use of multiple accounts can make the behavior harder to block and more intimidating. Ethical digital citizenship requires respecting others' safety and dignity online.

Question 15Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Which control most directly protects the confidentiality of personal files stored on a laptop if the device is stolen?

  1. Full-disk encryption Correct answer.
  2. A faster monitor refresh rate
  3. A public profile page
  4. An advertising identifier

Explanation

Full-disk encryption makes stored data unreadable without the proper key or authentication. If a laptop is lost or stolen, encryption can prevent someone from simply removing the drive and reading the files. It is a technical safeguard that supports privacy.

Question 16Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A library collects patron email addresses only to send due-date reminders and deletes them when accounts close. Which privacy principle is best demonstrated?

  1. Purpose limitation and retention limitation Correct answer.
  2. Paid prioritization
  3. Patent novelty
  4. Counter-hacking

Explanation

Purpose limitation means personal information is used only for the stated and appropriate purpose. Retention limitation means data is not kept longer than needed. Together, they reduce privacy risk while still allowing the library to provide the requested service.

Question 17Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Why does collecting biometric data such as face templates or fingerprints deserve special ethical attention?

  1. Biometric traits can be hard or impossible for a person to change if compromised Correct answer.
  2. Biometric data cannot identify anyone
  3. Biometric systems never make errors
  4. Biometric data is useful only for entertainment

Explanation

Unlike a password, a face or fingerprint is closely tied to the person and cannot simply be replaced. Biometric systems can also create risks from false matches, surveillance, and function creep. Strong safeguards, necessity analysis, and transparency are important.

Question 18Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A payday loan app uses behavioral data to target users who appear financially desperate and displays time-pressure messages. Which ethical risk is most direct?

  1. Exploitation of vulnerability through manipulative targeting Correct answer.
  2. Improved keyboard ergonomics
  3. Proper use of public-domain code
  4. Reduced storage redundancy

Explanation

Data-driven targeting can become exploitative when it identifies vulnerability and pressures people into harmful choices. Ethical design evaluates fairness, autonomy, and foreseeable harm, not just conversion rates. Vulnerable users may need stronger protections and clearer choices.

Question 19Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

An employer requires staff to install monitoring software on personal phones used for work email. Which policy approach best addresses the ethical tension?

  1. Explain the monitoring scope, collect only work-related data, offer alternatives, and obtain informed agreement Correct answer.
  2. Monitor all photos and messages because the phone sometimes accesses work email
  3. Ban employees from asking what data is collected
  4. Collect personal data first and decide a purpose later

Explanation

Bring-your-own-device policies create a boundary problem between employer security and employee privacy. A defensible policy limits monitoring to legitimate work needs, explains what is collected, and provides alternatives such as a company device. Secret or broad monitoring is difficult to justify ethically.

Question 20Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A school keeps all student location-tracking records forever because storage is cheap. What is the best ethical objection?

  1. Long retention increases future misuse and breach impact when the data is no longer needed Correct answer.
  2. Cheap storage makes privacy concerns disappear
  3. Location records cannot reveal anything sensitive
  4. Deleting old records is always illegal

Explanation

Retention creates continuing risk because old data can be breached, misused, subpoenaed, or repurposed. Sensitive location histories should be kept only as long as necessary for a legitimate purpose. Storage cost is not the same as ethical justification.

Question 21Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A support forum for survivors allows pseudonymous accounts but also needs to prevent threats and scams. Which approach best balances privacy and accountability?

  1. Require everyone to post under government names with home addresses
  2. Allow pseudonyms while enforcing rules, reporting tools, moderation, and limited back-end audit trails Correct answer.
  3. Allow total impunity because privacy is the only ethical value
  4. Publish moderators' private notes about every user

Explanation

Pseudonymity can protect vulnerable people who need help without public exposure. Accountability can still be supported through moderation, reporting, and carefully controlled records that are not exposed to the public. Ethical communities balance safety, privacy, due process, and harm prevention.

Question 22Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A malware attack disables a regional electric utility's control systems. Which type of target is most directly involved?

  1. Critical infrastructure Correct answer.
  2. Desktop publishing
  3. A social bookmark folder
  4. A software style guide

Explanation

Electric utilities are part of critical infrastructure because disruption can affect public safety, health, and economic activity. Cyberattacks against infrastructure can create physical-world consequences. Security planning for these systems often involves both technical defenses and public-sector coordination.

Question 23Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A national security agency argues that bulk collection of citizens' internet metadata is necessary for threat detection. Which question is most important ethically?

  1. Whether the collection has legal authority, necessity, proportionality, oversight, and minimization Correct answer.
  2. Whether the database uses the newest brand of server
  3. Whether citizens would enjoy the user interface
  4. Whether collection can be outsourced to avoid accountability

Explanation

Security programs that intrude on privacy require careful justification and controls. Ethical evaluation asks whether the measure is lawful, necessary, proportionate, limited, and overseen by independent processes. Technical efficiency does not settle the civil-liberties question.

Question 24Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A company discovers the foreign server that launched an attack against it and wants to break into that server to delete stolen files. What is the main ethical and practical problem?

  1. Counter-hacking may be unlawful, misattribute the attacker, damage innocent systems, and escalate conflict Correct answer.
  2. Counter-hacking is always required by professional ethics
  3. Deleting files from another system guarantees all copies are gone
  4. A foreign server is never subject to any law

Explanation

Active retaliation can cross legal boundaries and create new harm, especially when attackers use compromised third-party systems. Attribution may be wrong, and deleted data may already be copied. Defensive response is usually handled through containment, evidence preservation, law enforcement, and authorized incident response.

Question 25Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Why is attribution especially difficult in international cyber incidents?

  1. Attackers can route through compromised systems, reuse tools, plant false clues, and operate across jurisdictions Correct answer.
  2. Every cyberattack includes the attacker's legal name in the packet header
  3. Only one country has internet access at a time
  4. Digital evidence cannot be preserved

Explanation

International attribution is hard because technical traces can be misleading or intentionally staged. Attackers may use botnets, proxy servers, shared malware, or infrastructure in multiple countries. Ethical and diplomatic decisions should account for uncertainty before assigning blame or responding.

Question 26Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Coordinated fake accounts amplify false claims during an election to reduce trust in voting. What security concern is most directly shown?

  1. Information warfare or disinformation operations Correct answer.
  2. Spreadsheet auditing
  3. Printer maintenance
  4. Local file compression

Explanation

Disinformation campaigns use communication platforms to influence beliefs, behavior, or trust in institutions. In election contexts, they can become a domestic and international security concern. Technical platform controls, media literacy, transparency, and lawful enforcement may all matter.

Question 27Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Which scenario most clearly raises a cyberterrorism concern rather than ordinary website vandalism?

  1. Defacing a hobby blog with jokes
  2. Using malware to threaten civilian transportation systems to coerce political action Correct answer.
  3. Changing a personal desktop wallpaper without permission
  4. Posting an unpopular opinion on a forum

Explanation

Cyberterrorism involves politically or ideologically motivated cyber activity intended to intimidate or coerce, often by threatening serious harm. Attacks on transportation, power, hospitals, or emergency systems can create public fear and physical risk. Ordinary vandalism may still be illegal but lacks that coercive public-safety dimension.

Question 28Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A cloud provider stores a customer's data in several countries, and investigators in one country demand access. Which issue is most central?

  1. Cross-border jurisdiction and conflicting legal obligations Correct answer.
  2. Screen brightness calibration
  3. The number of icons on the desktop
  4. Whether email uses plain text fonts

Explanation

Cloud data can be subject to laws and government demands in more than one country. Providers must navigate jurisdiction, contracts, privacy law, due process, and international cooperation mechanisms. The ethical issue is not only technical storage but legitimate authority and rights protection.

Question 29Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A company transfers customer records from one country to another for processing. Which practice best supports ethical international data handling?

  1. Ignore local laws because the internet is borderless
  2. Assess applicable privacy laws, use contracts and safeguards, and inform customers about relevant transfers Correct answer.
  3. Move the data to the country with the weakest protections
  4. Prevent customers from learning where data is processed

Explanation

International transfers require attention to law, contractual protections, security controls, transparency, and the expectations of affected people. Data crossing borders can change who can access it and what remedies are available. Ethical handling treats location and legal environment as material facts.

Question 30Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A researcher finds a serious vulnerability in a widely used medical device. Which action best reflects coordinated vulnerability disclosure?

  1. Privately report details to the vendor or coordinator, allow time for mitigation, and avoid public exploit instructions before users can be protected Correct answer.
  2. Post a weaponized exploit immediately to gain attention
  3. Sell the vulnerability only to the highest bidder without considering patient safety
  4. Keep using the vulnerability secretly for research access

Explanation

Coordinated disclosure aims to reduce harm by giving responsible parties a chance to fix or mitigate a flaw before attackers receive detailed instructions. Medical devices add patient-safety stakes. Disclosure should preserve evidence, set reasonable timelines, and prioritize affected users.

Question 31Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A botnet floods a city's emergency services website until residents cannot reach disaster information. What type of attack is most likely?

  1. Distributed denial-of-service attack Correct answer.
  2. Spreadsheet macro recording
  3. Optical character recognition
  4. Database normalization

Explanation

A distributed denial-of-service attack uses many systems to overwhelm a service with traffic or requests. When emergency information becomes unavailable, the impact moves beyond inconvenience into public safety. Botnets are commonly used because traffic comes from many compromised devices.

Question 32Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A group quietly steals defense-contractor designs over months using custom malware, spear phishing, and persistence mechanisms. Which label best fits the threat?

  1. Advanced persistent threat Correct answer.
  2. Benign usability test
  3. Local backup rotation
  4. Desktop publishing workflow

Explanation

An advanced persistent threat is typically a capable adversary that maintains long-term access to pursue strategic objectives. Espionage against defense contractors is a common example because the target has national-security value. The ethical and policy concerns include state responsibility, supply chains, and protection of sensitive information.

Question 33Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A company deploys a honeypot to observe attackers, but its lawyers prohibit using the honeypot to launch code back at intruders. What distinction is being made?

  1. Passive deception and monitoring are different from active counterattack Correct answer.
  2. All honeypots must attack intruders to be effective
  3. Monitoring attackers is the same as stealing their data from unrelated systems
  4. A honeypot removes the need for access controls

Explanation

Honeypots can be used defensively to detect, study, and slow attackers in an environment the owner controls. Launching code against intruders or third-party systems is a different action with higher legal and ethical risk. The distinction helps avoid escalation and collateral damage.

Question 34Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

An attacker compromises a software update mechanism so thousands of customers install a trusted vendor's malicious update. Which risk is illustrated?

  1. Supply-chain compromise Correct answer.
  2. Shoulder surfing
  3. Blue-light filtering
  4. Spreadsheet sorting

Explanation

A supply-chain compromise abuses trust in a vendor, update channel, component, or service provider. Customers may install the malicious code precisely because it appears to come from a trusted source. Defenses include code signing, build integrity, vendor risk management, monitoring, and incident planning.

Question 35Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A military contractor collects large amounts of social media data to identify threats near an overseas base. Which ethical control is most relevant?

  1. Limit collection and retention to a defined security purpose and protect noncombatants' privacy Correct answer.
  2. Collect every post forever because storage is cheap
  3. Publish the raw dataset online to prove transparency
  4. Ignore local law because the project supports security

Explanation

Security-related collection can still affect people who are not targets and may chill lawful expression. Purpose limits, minimization, retention controls, access restrictions, and review help reduce unnecessary harm. Security value does not erase privacy and human-rights considerations.

Question 36Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Thousands of insecure cameras are remotely controlled and used together to attack websites. What are those compromised devices collectively called?

  1. A botnet Correct answer.
  2. A spreadsheet
  3. A router table only
  4. A patent pool

Explanation

A botnet is a network of compromised devices controlled by an attacker. Internet-connected cameras, routers, and other IoT devices can become part of a botnet when left with weak credentials or unpatched flaws. Botnets can be used for denial-of-service, spam, credential attacks, and other abuse.

Question 37Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Why might governments and private companies share cyber threat indicators during a major campaign?

  1. To help other defenders detect and block related activity faster Correct answer.
  2. To eliminate all privacy obligations
  3. To guarantee no one will ever be attacked again
  4. To make attribution unnecessary

Explanation

Indicators such as malicious IP addresses, file hashes, domains, and tactics can help defenders recognize related activity. Sharing can improve collective defense, especially when critical infrastructure and private networks are connected. Ethical sharing still needs care to avoid exposing personal data, trade secrets, or unverified accusations.

Question 38Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A cybersecurity company wants to sell advanced intrusion tools to a foreign government with a record of targeting journalists. What ethical risk should be evaluated first?

  1. Whether the tools could enable human-rights abuses or repression Correct answer.
  2. Whether the sales brochure uses enough colors
  3. Whether the software folder name is short
  4. Whether the product logo is trademarked in every font

Explanation

Dual-use cyber tools can protect systems but can also enable surveillance, intrusion, and repression. Vendors should assess end use, customer history, legal controls, export restrictions, and foreseeable harm. A technically impressive product can still be ethically dangerous in the wrong context.

Question 39Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A ransomware attack forces a hospital to divert ambulances and delay care. Why can this be treated as more than a financial crime?

  1. The cyber incident creates direct public-health and safety consequences Correct answer.
  2. Hospitals are not allowed to use computers
  3. Ransomware cannot affect patient care
  4. Paying ransom automatically solves every harm

Explanation

Cyberattacks against hospitals can disrupt clinical operations, emergency care, and patient safety. That makes the harm broader than the ransom demand or data loss. Ethical and policy responses often prioritize continuity of critical services and protection of vulnerable patients.

Question 40Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Stealing trade secrets from a company network to benefit a foreign industry is best described as what?

  1. Cyber espionage Correct answer.
  2. Image cropping
  3. Personal password hygiene
  4. Desktop virtualization

Explanation

Cyber espionage uses digital means to obtain sensitive information for strategic, political, military, or economic advantage. Theft of trade secrets for a foreign industry has national and international security implications. It differs from ordinary browsing or authorized research.

Question 41Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Which concern is strongest when a government requires a universal backdoor in encrypted messaging for law-enforcement access?

  1. The backdoor could weaken security for everyone and be abused by criminals, insiders, or foreign adversaries Correct answer.
  2. The requirement would make every user better at password management
  3. A backdoor prevents all future surveillance abuse
  4. Encryption only matters for entertainment apps

Explanation

A universal access mechanism can become a systemic vulnerability because the same weakness may be exploited beyond the intended legal process. The ethical tradeoff involves public safety, privacy, cybersecurity, and trust. Targeted legal access questions are different from weakening every user's security.

Question 42Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A nation is considering a cyber response after an attack, but evidence is incomplete and civilian networks may be affected. Which ethical principle is most relevant?

  1. Proportionality and caution in response to avoid unjustified escalation or collateral harm Correct answer.
  2. The fastest response is always the most ethical response
  3. Civilian impact is irrelevant in cyberspace
  4. Uncertainty should be hidden from decision makers

Explanation

Cyber responses can affect systems and people beyond the intended target. Proportionality, distinction, necessity, and careful handling of uncertainty help reduce unjustified escalation and collateral harm. Ethical decision makers should surface uncertainty rather than suppress it.

Question 43Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A gene-editing therapy could prevent a serious inherited disease but is expensive and available only to wealthy patients. Which ethical concern is most direct?

  1. Equitable access to beneficial biotechnology Correct answer.
  2. Whether the therapy uses a blue website theme
  3. Whether the patient has a faster laptop
  4. Whether the hospital stores data in alphabetical folders

Explanation

Biotechnology can create major benefits while also widening social inequality if access is limited to privileged groups. Ethical evaluation includes safety, consent, fairness, and distribution of benefits and burdens. Cost and access are not secondary when the technology affects health and life chances.

Question 44Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

Why is genetic information especially sensitive in an online health database?

  1. It can reveal information about the individual and biological relatives, and it is difficult to change Correct answer.
  2. It is always inaccurate and therefore harmless
  3. It contains no identifying value
  4. It matters only for entertainment recommendations

Explanation

Genetic data can reveal health risks, ancestry, family relationships, and traits that affect relatives as well as the tested person. It is persistent and may remain meaningful as science advances. Ethical stewardship requires strong privacy, consent, security, and secondary-use controls.

Question 45Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A smart thermostat ships with the same default administrator password for every device. What is the most obvious ethical design failure?

  1. The manufacturer creates avoidable security risk for users and networks Correct answer.
  2. The manufacturer made the device too energy efficient
  3. The device should have no user manual
  4. Default passwords make all devices unhackable

Explanation

Shared default passwords are easy for attackers to discover and reuse at scale. Manufacturers have ethical responsibilities to design secure defaults, encourage unique credentials, and provide updates. Weak IoT security can harm both device owners and the wider internet.

Question 46Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A smart speaker records voice commands and sends audio snippets to contractors for quality review. Which practice would best support ethical transparency?

  1. Clearly disclose the review process and provide meaningful controls before collection Correct answer.
  2. Hide the practice in code comments
  3. Assume users know every possible data flow
  4. Make deletion requests impossible

Explanation

Connected devices can collect intimate data from homes, so users need clear information about what is recorded, who reviews it, why, and for how long. Meaningful controls may include opt-outs, deletion, and limits on human review. Surprise data flows undermine trust.

Question 47Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A nursing home considers replacing most social visits with robot companions because the robots are cheaper. Which ethical concern should be evaluated?

  1. Whether efficiency is being prioritized over human dignity, care, and social connection Correct answer.
  2. Whether robots can use hexadecimal numbers
  3. Whether the floor plan has enough outlets only
  4. Whether residents prefer one brand color

Explanation

Robots may support care, but replacing human interaction can affect dignity, autonomy, loneliness, and emotional well-being. Ethical evaluation should include resident consent, staffing effects, safety, and whether technology supplements rather than substitutes needed human care. Cost savings alone is not enough.

Question 48Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A company tests autonomous delivery robots on crowded sidewalks with little warning to pedestrians. Which issue is most important?

  1. Public safety, informed community notice, and accountability for harm Correct answer.
  2. Whether the robots' names are entertaining
  3. Whether the robots use a rounded font
  4. Whether the company posts enough promotional videos

Explanation

Testing emerging technology in public spaces affects people who did not volunteer for an experiment. Ethical testing requires risk assessment, safeguards, notice, incident reporting, and clear responsibility for harm. Innovation speed does not remove duties to the public.

Question 49Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

An AI hiring tool is trained on past hiring data from a company that historically excluded qualified women. What risk is most direct?

  1. The system may learn and reproduce biased patterns from the training data Correct answer.
  2. The system will automatically become unbiased because it is mathematical
  3. Training data has no effect on AI outputs
  4. Bias is impossible in employment decisions

Explanation

AI systems can reflect and amplify biases present in training data, labels, features, or organizational practices. Mathematical processing does not guarantee fairness. Ethical AI development requires testing for disparate impact, reviewing features, and correcting harmful patterns.

Question 50Integrated subject knowledge, interpretation and application

A bank denies loans using an algorithm but cannot explain the main factors behind denials. Which ethical principle is most directly implicated?

  1. Explainability and transparency in automated decision making Correct answer.
  2. Lossless audio compression
  3. Screen resolution optimization
  4. Public-domain dedication

Explanation

People affected by significant automated decisions may need understandable reasons to challenge errors or discrimination. Explainability and transparency support accountability, fairness, and trust. Not every model must reveal trade secrets publicly, but decisions should be reviewable in a meaningful way.