APCSP Digital Impact 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Autonomous vehicles use machine learning to make driving decisions. Which ethical concern is MOST relevant when the vehicle must choose between two harmful outcomes?
- Fuel efficiency optimization
- Algorithmic bias in decision-making during accidents (Correct answer)
- Battery charging schedules
- GPS signal accuracy
Correct answer: Algorithmic bias in decision-making during accidents
Autonomous vehicles encode ethical decisions about harm into algorithms, raising questions about algorithmic bias and whose values are prioritized.
Question 2: A news website uses clickbait headlines to maximize ad revenue. Which negative digital impact does this MOST directly cause?
- Reduced server bandwidth
- Spread of misleading information and erosion of media trust (Correct answer)
- Decreased page load speeds
- Higher subscription costs for users
Correct answer: Spread of misleading information and erosion of media trust
Clickbait prioritizes engagement over accuracy, contributing to misinformation and reducing public trust in media.
Question 3: Which of the following BEST describes a 'deepfake' and its primary concern?
- A type of data encryption that is very difficult to break
- Synthetically generated media that can be used to spread disinformation (Correct answer)
- A deep-learning model used for medical diagnostics
- A secure method of hiding data within other files
Correct answer: Synthetically generated media that can be used to spread disinformation
Deepfakes are AI-generated synthetic media that can realistically impersonate real people, enabling the spread of disinformation.
Question 4: Open-source software development MOST directly supports which of the following values?
- Corporate control of technology
- Collaborative innovation and transparency (Correct answer)
- Restriction of software distribution
- Proprietary intellectual property protection
Correct answer: Collaborative innovation and transparency
Open-source development allows anyone to view, modify, and distribute code, fostering collaboration and transparency.
Question 5: A hospital stores patient records in a cloud database that experiences a breach. What is the PRIMARY digital impact concern?
- Loss of computing resources
- Violation of patient privacy and potential harm (Correct answer)
- Increased hospital operational costs
- Reduced data storage efficiency
Correct answer: Violation of patient privacy and potential harm
A breach of medical records primarily harms patients through privacy violations and the potential misuse of sensitive health information.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of how computing has had a NEGATIVE impact on employment?
- New jobs created in software engineering
- Automation replacing routine manufacturing jobs (Correct answer)
- Remote work opportunities enabled by the internet
- E-learning platforms expanding educational access
Correct answer: Automation replacing routine manufacturing jobs
Automation driven by computing has displaced workers in routine manufacturing and clerical roles, creating economic disruption.
Question 7: A student shares a copyrighted movie using a peer-to-peer network. Which concept does this BEST relate to?
- Network packet loss
- Intellectual property and digital piracy (Correct answer)
- DNS resolution failure
- Bandwidth allocation
Correct answer: Intellectual property and digital piracy
Sharing copyrighted content without authorization constitutes digital piracy and violates intellectual property law.
APCSP Digital Impact 3
Autonomous vehicles use machine learning to make driving decisions.
Which ethical concern is MOST relevant when the vehicle must choose between two harmful outcomes?