IB Digital Society SL key terms

The physical components of a computer system - processors, memory, storage, circuit boards and peripherals - that you can touch and that carry out the instructions supplied by software.

Programs, code and associated data that tell hardware what to do; it ranges from operating systems and firmware to applications, and may be proprietary or open source.

A finite, ordered set of unambiguous steps that turns an input into an output, allowing a computer or a person to solve a particular problem or complete a task.

A problem-solving approach that breaks a problem into parts, looks for patterns, sets aside irrelevant detail and expresses a solution as steps a computer could carry out.

An agreed set of rules for how devices format, address, transmit and acknowledge data over a network, so that equipment from different makers can work together.

The maximum amount of data a connection can carry per second, usually measured in bits per second; more bandwidth lets more data move at the same time.

The delay between sending a request and receiving a response, measured in milliseconds; it determines how responsive video calls, games and remote control systems feel.

Renting computing resources - storage, processing power and software - over the internet from remote data centres, usually paid for by usage rather than by owning hardware.

An organised store of structured data, managed by software that lets it be searched, updated and protected, often arranged in tables linked by shared keys.

A documented set of rules that lets one program request data or functions from another, without needing to know how that other program is built inside.

Turning readable data into an unreadable form using a mathematical key, so that only someone holding the right key can convert it back and read it.

A small computer built into a larger device to carry out one dedicated control job, such as regulating a washing machine, a pacemaker or a car engine.

The gap between people with reliable devices, fast connectivity and the skills to use online services, and those without them; it often follows income, age, rural and disability lines.

The set of data linked to a person online - accounts, credentials, profiles, records and activity traces - that platforms and institutions use to recognise and serve them.

The trail of data a person leaves by browsing, posting, buying and sharing location, which can persist online and be combined by others long after it was created.

A person's ability to control how their personal information is collected, used, stored and shared, and to know which organisations hold it and why.

Systematic unfairness in automated decisions, arising when training data, design choices or feedback loops reflect existing prejudice or poorly represent certain groups, so outcomes disadvantage them.

A situation in which recommendation systems keep showing people material that matches their existing views and hide opposing content, narrowing what they encounter.

False or misleading content spread without a deliberate intent to deceive; it travels quickly through social platforms and messaging apps and can shape beliefs and behaviour.

The systematic monitoring of people's movements, communications or behaviour by governments or companies, using cameras, sensors, location data and network records.

The principle that internet providers should treat all traffic alike, not blocking, slowing or charging more for particular websites, apps or types of content.

Legal rights over creations of the mind, such as copyright, patents, trademarks and trade secrets, giving creators control over use and commercial benefit.

The norms, rights and responsibilities of taking part in online communities, including respectful conduct, careful choices about data, and awareness of law and ethics.

Designing digital products so that people with visual, hearing, motor or cognitive impairments can perceive, operate and understand them, often through screen-reader support, captions and keyboard navigation.

The study of moral questions raised by digital technology - fairness, consent, accountability and harm - used to judge what designers, companies and users ought to do.

Laws and rules set by governments or regulators that impose requirements on digital services, covering areas such as data protection, content, competition and product safety.

Computer systems that carry out tasks usually needing human intelligence, such as recognising images, translating text, recommending content or making predictions and decisions.

A branch of artificial intelligence in which programs improve at a task by finding patterns in large sets of example data rather than following hand-written rules.

Everyday objects fitted with sensors, software and network connections so they can collect and exchange data, from smart thermostats and watches to factory and farm equipment.

A shared record of transactions, copied across many computers and linked by cryptography, so that entries are very hard to change secretly without detection.

Datasets too large, fast-changing or varied for ordinary tools to handle, often analysed to reveal patterns in behaviour, health, transport or markets.

Computing that exploits quantum effects such as superposition and entanglement to tackle certain problems far faster than ordinary computers; practical machines remain limited and error-prone.

A virtual model of a physical object, machine or place, continuously updated with real sensor data, used to monitor performance and simulate what might happen next.

Using technology to complete tasks with little or no human involvement, from factory robots and software scripts to systems that approve loans or route deliveries.

A new product or service that begins in a neglected or low-cost part of a market, then improves until it displaces established providers and reshapes the industry.

A human-centred method for innovation that cycles through understanding users, defining the problem, generating ideas, building prototypes and testing them with feedback.

An early, simplified version of a product or service, built quickly to test assumptions with users or check technical feasibility before full development begins.