Spec & Goals 3 min
AQA Spec 3.8.1 — Privacy issues arising from digital technology
By the end of this lesson you can:
- Define personal data and privacy.
- Explain how everyday technology collects and uses personal data.
- Discuss the benefits and risks of large-scale data collection.
Warm-Up 5 min
Privacy is the lens that comes up most in Unit 8. Almost every free app earns money from your data — so understanding what it collects matters.
Quick starter
Name three pieces of information a social media app might know about you that you never typed in directly.
Reveal the idea
Your location, the time you're online, who you message, what you linger on, your device. This collected data builds a detailed profile — without you noticing.
Key Concept — your data has value 14 min
Personal data is any information that relates to an identifiable living person. Privacy is a person's right to control how their personal data is collected and used.
How technology collects data
| Source | What it captures |
|---|---|
| Smartphones & apps | Location (GPS), contacts, usage habits. |
| Websites & cookies | What you view, buy and search. |
| Social media | Posts, friends, interests, time online. |
| Loyalty cards / online shops | What and when you buy. |
| Wearables & smart devices | Heart rate, sleep, voice commands. |
Benefits vs risks
| Benefits of data collection | Risks to privacy |
|---|---|
| Personalised recommendations and services. | Detailed profiles built without clear consent. |
| Useful features (maps, health tracking). | Data sold to third parties / used for targeted ads. |
| Fraud detection; improved products. | Data breaches expose private details. |
| Public benefit (e.g. health research). | Surveillance and loss of anonymity. |
Worked Example — the price of "free" 12 min
Problem: A free fitness app tracks Mei Ling's runs, location and heart rate. Discuss the privacy benefits and risks.
- Benefits: maps her routes, tracks progress, gives health insights — genuinely useful and personalised.
- Risks: her exact home and routine are recorded; the app could sell health data to advertisers or insurers; a breach could expose where she lives and when she's out.
- Balance: the service is valuable, but she should check what is collected, who it is shared with, and the privacy settings.
Try It Yourself 12 min
Goal: Define personal data and give three examples.
Goal: Explain the difference between privacy and security.
Goal: A smart speaker is always listening for its wake word. Discuss one benefit and two privacy risks.
📝 Exam Practice 10 min
Define the term personal data.
Mark scheme
- Information that relates to / can identify a living individual (1).
Describe two ways a smartphone app might collect personal data about its user.
Mark scheme
- Any two of: GPS/location; contacts; usage habits; microphone/camera; purchase history (2).
Discuss the benefits and privacy risks of companies collecting large amounts of customer data.
Mark scheme
Levels-marked (up to 6). Balanced points, e.g.:
- Benefits — personalisation, better services, fraud detection, research.
- Risks — profiling without consent, data sold/misused, breaches, surveillance.
- A reasoned conclusion weighing both sides reaches the top band.
Recap & Key Terms 3 min
Personal data identifies a living person; privacy is your control over it. Phones, websites, social media and wearables collect huge amounts of it. This brings useful, personalised services but real risks — profiling, data being sold, breaches and surveillance. The law sets the limits.
- Personal data
- Information that relates to and can identify a living individual.
- Privacy
- The right to control what personal data is collected and how it is used.
- Profiling
- Building a detailed picture of a person from their collected data.
- Surveillance
- The monitoring of people's behaviour, often through their data.
Homework 1 min
Task (≤ 15 min): Look at the permissions one app on your device asks for. List three, and for each say why the app might want it and what the privacy risk is.
Model answer (example)
Location — to show nearby places (benefit), but records everywhere you go (risk). Contacts — to find friends (benefit), but uploads other people's data (risk). Microphone — for voice search (benefit), but could capture private conversations (risk).
Award marks for: three permissions (1); a benefit and risk for each (2).