Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

• C A piece of music (1)
• The only correct answer is C. The correct answer is A piece of music.
• A is not correct because a brand name is protected by a trademark
• B is not correct because a new invention, such as a method or design, is protected by a patent
• D is not correct because a product name is protected by a trademark

• C Patent (1)
• The only correct answer is C. The correct answer is patent.
• A is not correct because copyright protects creative works such as program code, not an invention
• B is not correct because an open-source licence sets out how software may be used, not how an invention is protected
• D is not correct because a trademark protects a brand name or logo

Award one mark for any of the following up to a maximum of two marks:

• Who has legal rights/control over the data (1)
• The person or organisation that the data belongs to (1)
• The right to decide how the data is used/shared/sold (1)
• The right to control access to the data (1)

Do not accept 'owning the device/hardware where the data is stored' (this is ownership of equipment, not data).

Award one mark for any of the following up to a maximum of two marks:

• The crash may be caused by a fault in the software/AI (1)
• The crash may be caused by a hardware/sensor fault (1)
• The crash may be caused by the manufacturer's design (1)
• The crash may be caused by the programmer's code/error (1)
• The owner/user may have failed to maintain/update/use the vehicle correctly (1)
• There may be no driver in control of the vehicle (1)
• Responsibility may be shared between several parties (1)

Do not accept the vehicle itself being blamed (it is not a legal person)

Do not accept a general statement that 'it is difficult' without a reason.

Award one mark for any of the following up to a maximum of two marks:

• A company/brand name (1)
• A product name (1)
• A logo (1)
• A symbol (1)
• A slogan (1)

Allow 'logo' and 'symbol' as two separate points if both are given.

Do not accept 'name' or 'brand' on its own.

Do not accept an invention (this is protected by a patent).

Do not accept software code (this is protected by copyright).

Do not accept other methods of intellectual property protection, e.g. patent/copyright.

Do not accept 'a design' on its own; allow if qualified as a logo/brand design.

Award up to two marks for a linked description such as:

• It may be unclear who is responsible (1) if the AI gives a wrong recommendation that harms a patient (1)
• The doctor may be blamed (1) even though they followed the AI's recommendation (1)
• The developer/programmer may be held responsible (1) because they designed the AI's algorithm (1)
• The hospital may be held responsible (1) because it chose to use the AI system (1)

Do not accept responses about bias or safety unless they are linked to who is responsible.

Do not award a mark for naming a group/person without saying why responsibility is unclear or who may be accountable.

Award up to two marks for a linked description such as:

• A licence/license is a legal agreement between the developer/owner and the user/end user/customer (1) that sets out what the user is/is not allowed to do with the software (1)
• It states how many devices/users may install or run the software (1) so the software is not installed/used on more devices/users than the developer allows (1)
• It protects the developer's intellectual property/copyright (1) by stopping the software being copied/used/redistributed without permission (1)
• It sets out the terms/conditions of use (1) that the user must agree to before using the software (1)

Allow a single unlinked point, such as 'it sets out what the user is allowed to do with the software', for one mark.

Do not accept 'it is a contract/a legal document' with no purpose given.

Do not accept descriptions of product keys, activation or how to install the software.

Do not accept answers that only describe copyright, patents or trademarks with no reference to a licence.

Award up to two marks for a linked explanation such as:

• Visitors lose control over who knows their browsing habits/activities (1) because details of the pages they view are collected and stored (1)
• The visitor is tracked without their consent/knowledge (1) because the pages they visit are recorded without them being asked (1)
• The visitor can be identified/linked to their browsing history (1) because data about their visits is stored and may be shared with third parties (1)
• Personal information about the visitor's interests is worked out without them sharing it (1) because the pages they view are used to build a profile for targeted advertising (1)

For both marks, the expansion must follow/associate with the statement.

Allow other valid privacy points, e.g. the visitor is tracked without their consent (1), where the linked reason says how the browsing data is recorded or used (1).

Allow 'a profile of the visitor's interests/behaviour is built' (1) as the privacy point; a second mark needs a linked reason, e.g. that this information is worked out without the visitor choosing to share it.

Do not accept 'it is private' or 'they lose privacy' without saying what information is revealed or how it is used.

Do not accept 'information is collected' or 'data is stored' on its own without saying why this is a privacy issue.

Do not award answers that only describe data being hacked, stolen or kept secure; these are security issues, not privacy issues.

Indicative content

Ownership

• The member who took a photograph usually owns it, so the company would need that member's permission before using it in an advert; this is a legal issue because the owner's rights are protected.
• A member may have uploaded a photograph that someone else took, in which case the member cannot give the company permission to use it.
• Ethically, using a member's photograph in an advert without asking takes away the member's control over their own work.
• The website's terms should state clearly what rights the company has over uploaded photographs, so that members know what they are agreeing to.
• If the new terms claim ownership of every uploaded photograph, members may see this as unfair and stop using the free service, which would reduce the advertising income.

Consent

• Data protection legislation requires the company to obtain the member's consent before using a photograph for advertising, and the member must be free to refuse.
• Using a photograph in an advert is a different purpose from the one it was collected for, so the company needs fresh consent for the advertising, not the consent given when the member joined.
• Consent must be informed, so the member should be told which photographs will be used and where the adverts will appear.
• Ethically, consent must be voluntary; members should not have to agree to their photographs being used in adverts in order to keep using the website.
• A member must be able to withdraw consent at any time, after which the company should stop using the photograph in new adverts.
• Where a photograph shows other people, the uploader's consent is not enough on its own, because those people are also identifiable and their consent is needed as well.

Data protection

• A photograph of a person is personal data, so data protection legislation applies to its use by the company.
• The company must use the photographs only for the purpose they were collected for, so using them in adverts without consent breaks this principle.
• The company must keep the photographs accurate and up to date, and keep them secure so that they cannot be accessed by unauthorised users.
• The company must not keep the photographs for longer than necessary, and should delete them when the member leaves or withdraws consent.
• Data protection legislation gives members the right to see the personal data held about them, so a member could ask the company which of their photographs it holds and how it is used.
• Ethically, members would not expect photographs shared with friends to appear in public adverts, so the change could damage their trust in the website even if it were legal.

Levels

• Level 0 (0 marks): No rewardable content.
• Level 1 (1–2 marks): Basic, independent points are made, showing elements of understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science. (AO1) The discussion will contain basic information with little linkage between points made or application to the context. (AO2)
• Level 2 (3–4 marks): Demonstrates adequate understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science. (AO1) The discussion shows some linkages and lines of reasoning with some structure and application to the context. (AO2)
• Level 3 (5–6 marks): Demonstrates comprehensive understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science to support the discussion being presented. (AO1) The discussion is well developed, with sustained lines of reasoning that are coherent and logically structured, and which clearly apply to the context. (AO2)

Additional guidance

• Level 3 responses must consider ownership, consent and data protection, apply each of them to the company's adverts, and make clear which issues are ethical and which are legal; answers that only describe good practice in general terms, without linking it to the photographs or the advertising, are limited to Level 2.
• Do not accept the claim that the company automatically owns every uploaded photograph, that agreeing to the terms when joining gives unlimited consent, or that data protection legislation does not apply to photographs.

Indicative content

Protection of the source code

• Releasing the application as open-source makes the source code available to anyone, so the company cannot keep its algorithms or code secret.
• Copyright automatically protects the application whether it is released as open-source or proprietary; the licence then sets out what users are allowed to do with the code.
• A proprietary licence keeps the source code closed, so the company retains control over how the application is used, copied and changed.
• With an open-source licence, other developers can legally copy, modify and redistribute the code, which makes it harder for the company to protect its intellectual property.
• Some open-source licences include copyleft conditions, which require anyone who distributes a modified version to release it under the same licence, so the company could not make a modified version proprietary later.
• A proprietary licence can include terms that stop users from copying or selling the application without permission, backed by copyright.
• A patent could protect a new technical method used by the application, but it would not stop users seeing the source code once it is released as open-source.

Income for the company

• Open-source software can be downloaded without paying a licence fee, so the company would lose the licence income from each copy and would need to charge for support, training or add-ons instead.
• Proprietary software generates income from a licence fee for each copy sold, which can fund further development.
• An open-source release may attract more users, some of whom might later pay for support, training or extra services.
• Proprietary licensing gives the company more control over pricing and can protect sales from unauthorised copying.
• The company may lose sales if customers can download and share an open-source version for free instead of paying for it.

Collaboration and development

• Open-source release allows other programmers to contribute improvements and find bugs, which can speed up development for a small company with limited resources.
• A community of users could add features that the company does not have the time or money to build itself.
• The company may lose control of the direction of the product if many outside contributors change the code in different ways.
• Proprietary development keeps the code within the company, so the team can maintain a consistent design and quality.
• Open-source code may be forked by competitors, creating rival versions of the application that the company does not control.

Levels

• Level 0 (0 marks): No rewardable content.
• Level 1 (1–2 marks): Basic, independent points are made, showing elements of understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science. (AO1) The discussion will contain basic information with little linkage between points made or application to the context. (AO2)
• Level 2 (3–4 marks): Demonstrates adequate understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science. (AO1) The discussion shows some linkages and lines of reasoning with some structure and application to the context. (AO2)
• Level 3 (5–6 marks): Demonstrates comprehensive understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science to support the discussion being presented. (AO1) The discussion is well developed, with sustained lines of reasoning that are coherent and logically structured, and which clearly apply to the context. (AO2)

Level 3 responses must consider both open-source and proprietary approaches and their effect on the company's profit or intellectual property; responses that discuss only one approach, or make only general points with little application to the company, are limited to Level 2.

Do not accept 'open-source is free' on its own, 'anyone can use it', or the claim that open-source software has no copyright; free download must be linked to the effect on the company's income.