Community resourceWorksheet

J277 1.6.1 Surveillance and privacy

Part 1 of 4 · J277 1.6 · Digital impacts: Depth

Applied practice on monitoring, personal data and automated decisions, selectable after the core sequence.

Students will:

  • follow data collection through processing to a decision
  • distinguish privacy, accuracy and security concerns
  • explain benefits and unfair consequences for affected people
  • match retention and review safeguards to their concerns
  • assess a safeguard's benefit and limitation

Inside: 3 text sections, 2 multiple-choice activities, 1 completion activity, 7 written answers. 20 marks. Suggested teaching time: 40–60 minutes. 1 diagram.

Includes a teacher guide with suggested sections, timings and common misconceptions.

Series: J277 1.6 · Digital impacts: Depth, part 1 of 4.

Shared by Coding PathwayVerified teacher

  • 13 cells
  • About 45 minutes
  • CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Shared 17 Aug 2026
  • Updated 27 Oct 2026

Preview

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

Surveillance, decisions and privacy

Surveillance means monitoring people or their activities. It can support safety and useful services, but it also creates records about people. Ask what is collected, why it is needed and what happens if it is wrong.

Privacy concerns how information about people is collected and used. Security protects data from unauthorised access or damage. Secure storage does not make every use of the data fair.

1. Follow the consequence

A delivery company records drivers' locations. It uses the records to calculate a score and allocate shifts. These are separate stages: an error in a record can affect a later decision.

Data can lead to decisions Three stages show drivers' location records leading to a score and then shift allocation. An error can affect the decision; protection of the records alone does not establish that the decision is fair. Data can lead to decisionsCollectRecord location and stop timesProcessCalculate a work scoreActAllocate future shiftsCheck accuracy before acting.
Fill in the blanks3 marks
The reason for collecting data is its Answer 1. A person affected by a system is a Answer 2. Protection against unauthorised reading concerns data Answer 3.
  • purpose
  • stakeholder
  • security
  • bandwidth
Multiple choice1 mark

A company encrypts its tracking records. Which conclusion follows?

  • AEvery use of the records is now fair
  • BThe records can never be intercepted
  • CEncryption protects their meaning from someone without the key
  • DThe company no longer needs to consider retention
Written answer2 marks

A delivery company uses live driver locations to send help after a vehicle breakdown. Explain one benefit for a driver.

Students type their answer here.

Written answer2 marks

A delivery company allocates shifts using a score based on journey and stop times. Road closures are not recorded. Explain one concern for a driver.

Students type their answer here.

2. Match the safeguard to the concern

ConcernA possible response
An automated result may be wrongLet a person check the evidence before an important decision.
Too much personal data is collectedCollect only what is needed for the stated purpose.
Records are kept without a continuing needReview retention and remove data that is no longer needed.
Unauthorised people may read recordsRestrict access and use suitable security.

These responses reduce particular risks; none solves every issue. Data protection law does not mean that consent is the only possible basis for using personal data.

Multiple choice1 mark

Which response most directly addresses an incorrect automated work score?

  • AEncrypt the score and never review it
  • BIncrease the screen resolution
  • CLet a trained person check the evidence and correct an error
  • DKeep every record forever
Written answer2 marks

A leisure centre records each named member's visits. It then gives detailed visit histories to advertisers. Explain one privacy concern.

Students type their answer here.

Written answer2 marks

A leisure centre keeps named members' visit histories after it no longer needs them. Explain one action it should take to meet its data-protection responsibilities.

Students type their answer here.

Written answer2 marks

A community group uses online posts to tell members about its meetings. A platform's software sometimes misunderstands local phrases as offensive. Explain one possible consequence for the group.

Students type their answer here.

Written answer2 marks

An insurer offers a discount only to customers who share data from a compatible fitness watch. Explain one fairness concern for customers who cannot afford such a watch.

Students type their answer here.

Written answer3 marks

A delivery company lets drivers challenge an automated shift-allocation score before it is used. Assess this safeguard.

Students type their answer here.

Review

Check one answer: have you named the data or decision, explained who is affected and shown how the consequence follows?