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Year 7 · Autumn 1 · Digital Citizen

Fact or fake: is this source reliable?

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What this lesson covers

Topic 19 Digital life, law and ethics

KS3 Computing · Using technology well means staying safe, knowing the laws about computers, data and creative work, and asking who technology helps and who it harms.

Networks and Digital CommunicationCambridge Lower Secondary Computing 0860

You will learn to

  • Use lateral reading: open a new tab and check who else says the same thing.
  • Identify who made a page, when it was made, and why.
  • Compare three web pages and explain which one is made up.
  • Match simple scenarios to the right law: Computer Misuse Act, Data Protection Act or copyright.

Success criteria

  • I can check a claim in a new tab, using at least two other sources.
  • I can spot the made-up page and give two reasons.
  • I can name the law that fits a scenario.

Key words

Say each word, then read what it means. Every one is in the glossary too.

Digital footprint
The trail of everything you do online.
Phishing
Fake messages that trick people into giving details.
Computer Misuse Act
UK law (1990) that makes hacking and spreading malware crimes.
Data Protection Act
UK law (2018), with UK GDPR, controlling how personal data is used.
Copyright
Automatic legal protection for original creative work.
Open source
Software whose code anyone can see, change and share.
Ethics
AI that is biased because its training data was. Cameras that keep us safe and also watch us. The digital divide: who is left out when everything moves online. Screen time and sleep. Practise arguing both sides.

The explanation

Read it here, or open the study page below to go one step at a time with things to try.

Judging information

  1. Who made it?
  2. When?
  3. Can you find it elsewhere from reliable sources?
  4. Why was it made: to inform, sell, or make you angry?
  5. Images and video can be edited or AI-made.

Study it

Open the study page and go one step at a time.

Topic 19 · Year 7

Digital life, law and ethics

Using technology well means staying safe, knowing the laws about computers and data, and asking who technology helps and who it harms.

The steps for this lesson

Try it

Check yourself

One question at a time. The reason shows after each answer.

Saved on this device.