Information Systems for you

Questions (Page 139)
1(a)		Whether anyone in your family eats beef; How much is spent in the shop in a week; Whether you buy all the items in the one store. How much you spend in each of the departments. How many special offers you buy. What days and times you shop at the store etc.
(b)		Using a loyalty card links the customer's personal details to their purchases. Before, if they used cash the shop did not know who they were. Now they do.
(c)		To understand the buying habits of customers. To keep the customers loyal to their store. To provide the customers with details of special offers.

Things To Do (page 144)
1(a)		Overdraft limit Salary Direct debits Date of birth any similar information
(b)		The bank can send them details of investments if they have a large credit balance.
(c)		Easier to set a search condition to produce a list of customers.
(d)		Customers could be refused loans if information about their account is incorrect. Customers make take their business elsewhere, banks lose money, the wrong person could be credited or debited.

2(a)		School, Doctor's surgery, Hospital, Department of social security etc.
(b)		Electoral roll, DVLA, Inland Revenue, University etc.

3(a)		Job centre, Department of Social Security.
(b)		See chapter.

4(a)		Medical records are exempt from the Act but the doctor may agree to her seeing her file if she thinks it will put her mind at rest.
(b)		Police records are exempt from the act so his request will be refused.

5		Use passwords to access the patient records. Screen should go blank after a set period of inactivity. Printouts should be shredded before being thrown away.

6(a)		Married. They may think married people are more reliable. Religion. Often asked but could be relevant in some jobs. Union member. May not want people in unions. Do you travel to work by public transport? If you do they may think you will often be late. Outstanding value of mortgage and other loans. Lots of financial commitments may mean that people are more willing to work overtime.

7(a)		Screen should go blank after a period of inactivity. Switch the machine off when not in use and lock it with a key.
(b)		Bolt the computer to the desk or fit an alarm. Place computers in less accessible places away from the public.
(c)		Don't keep keys in a desk drawer since it will be the first place that people who want to gain access will look.

Examination Questions (page 342)

1(a)

It places certain obligations on the data controller.
The data controllers have to register their uses of the personal data with the Data Commissioner.

(b)

Has led to fewer unskilled jobs since many of these have been replaced by computers. Older people feel alienated because they do not understand the technology. There is a constant need for retraining. Use of the Internet for criminal activities/pornography.

Data in electronic form is easier to copy, transfer (over the Internet or other networks) and access if is not protected by proper security. It is not possible to detect very easily if data has been altered. It is much faster to make alterations without being seen.

3(a)

Almost any valid field relating to personal information or the person's lifestyle can be put here.

(b)

The data should be processed fairly and lawfully. Personal data shall be obtained for only one or more specified or lawful purposes, and shall not be further processed in any manner incompatible with that purpose or those purposes. Personal data shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purpose or purposes for which they are processed. (Any other of the Data Protection Principles could be chosen)

(c)

You have the right to see any personal details held about you (provided it is not in certain categories). You have the right to compensation if a company contravenes the Act and causes some damage to you.

4(a)

Any four from:
Gender
Marital status
Names of children
University student number
Degree course taken
Loan payment
Address, Rent paid etc.

(b)

Data has no meaning attached to it whereas information has a context and a meaning.

5(a)

Any two from the following:
The right to seek compensation for the damaged caused by wrong information.
The right to have any wrong information corrected.
The right to see the data held about them.

(b)

Wrong address - goods delivered to the wrong address.
Wrong date of birth - may be denied a job because employers thought they were too old.

(c)

	Tick three boxes only
Word processed documents
Insurance companies
A database of friends' names and addresses
All police information, stored on a computer
A database of doctors' patients
Files stored on paper