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1CP2-P-10.3 Personal data collection consent and digital footprints

Part 3 of 5 · 1CP2-P-10 · AI, personal data and ethical/legal issues

Personal data identifies or relates to an identifiable living person. It includes more than names: identifiers, location, account activity and combinations of facts may identify someone. A digital footprint can be active, such as posting, or passive, such as logged device activity.

Students will:

  • identify personal data beyond obvious names
  • distinguish active and passive digital footprints
  • evaluate purpose, consent and proportionality
  • recommend safer data collection in context

Inside: 6 explanation cells, 1 fill-in-the-blanks cell, 2 multiple-choice questions and 3 written answers. 14 marks, about 45 minutes.

Series: 1CP2-P-10 · AI, personal data and ethical/legal issues, part 3 of 5.

Shared by Coding PathwayVerified teacher

  • 12 cells
  • About 45 minutes
  • CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Shared 17 Aug 2026

Preview

The whole resource, exactly as a class sees it. Answers and marking are held back.

Personal data collection consent and digital footprints

Personal data identifies or relates to an identifiable living person. It includes more than names: identifiers, location, account activity and combinations of facts may identify someone. A digital footprint can be active, such as posting, or passive, such as logged device activity.

1. Build an accurate model

Personal-data lifecycle and protection checkpointsperson +activitycollectspecifiedpurposeuse /shareretaindeleteAsk at every stage: transparent? necessary? accurate? secure? retained only as needed?Consent can matter, but it is not the only possible lawful basis for processing.

An organisation should state why data is collected and what it will do with it. Ethical collection should be relevant and proportionate to the purpose, transparent to people and protected. Consent may be relevant, but clicking a button does not make unlimited unrelated future use fair.

Fill in the blanks3 marks
Data deliberately posted contributes to an gap 1 footprint. Logged browsing may contribute to a gap 2 footprint. The reason data is collected is its stated gap 3.
  • active
  • passive
  • purpose
Multiple choice1 mark

Which can be personal data even without a person's name?

  • AA device identifier linked to one pupil's account
  • BA completely fictional number with no link to anyone
  • CA blank page
  • DA generic weather symbol

2. Worked application

A fictional study app collects quiz scores to show progress. Scores and account IDs fit that purpose. Continuous precise location is harder to justify because it is not needed to mark quizzes and creates extra privacy and security risk.

Written answer2 marks

Explain why an account identifier and quiz history may be personal data.

Connect the records to an identifiable student.

Students type their answer here.

Written answer4 marks

A revision app requests microphone access at all times. Explain two concerns.

Use purpose, proportionality, notice or risk.

Students type their answer here.

3. Apply to the stated people and system

Name the input or data, the processing or decision, the affected stakeholder and the resulting effect. Avoid claims that could fit any technology.

Written answer3 marks

Recommend what data a bus-arrival app should collect from a user and justify what it should avoid.

Apply minimisation and stated purpose.

Students type their answer here.

Multiple choice1 mark

Which statement is accurate?

  • AOnly names are personal data
  • BPublicly visible data has no privacy implications
  • CCollection can bring benefits and risks that depend on purpose and handling
  • DAny consent permits every future use

Examination method

For Explain, link cause and consequence. For Discuss, consider more than one aspect, apply each point to the scenario and reach a conclusion supported by the evidence.

Route forward

Next you will apply stable data-protection principles across collection, use, sharing, retention and deletion.