Glossary
Algorithms and Bias
The relationship where the instructions or rules (algorithms) used by computing systems can perpetuate or amplify existing societal biases if the data they process is biased.
Example:
A search engine's image recognition algorithm and bias might incorrectly label certain groups if its training data lacked diversity.
Beneficial Effects
Positive outcomes or advantages that arise from the implementation and use of computing innovations.
Example:
One beneficial effect of online learning platforms is increased access to education for students in remote areas.
Big Idea 5: Impact of Computing
A core concept in AP Computer Science Principles that emphasizes how computing innovations affect society, culture, and the economy, including their ethical implications.
Example:
Understanding Big Idea 5: Impact of Computing helps students analyze how AI in self-driving cars presents both convenience and complex ethical dilemmas.
Computing Bias
When an algorithm or system reflects and amplifies existing human biases present in the data it was trained on, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes.
Example:
If a hiring algorithm shows computing bias by consistently favoring male candidates because it was trained on historical data from a male-dominated industry, it perpetuates inequality.
Computing Innovations
New or improved computing artifacts that have a significant impact on society, often reshaping daily life, work, and interactions.
Example:
The development of the smartphone was a major computing innovation that revolutionized communication and access to information.
Data Privacy and Security
Interrelated concepts concerning the protection of personal information from unauthorized access and the individual's right to control how their data is collected, used, and shared.
Example:
Implementing strong passwords and two-factor authentication are crucial steps for ensuring data privacy and security online.
Digital Divide
The unequal access to computing technology and the internet among different socioeconomic groups or geographic regions.
Example:
The digital divide is evident when some students lack reliable internet access at home, hindering their ability to complete online assignments.
Ethical Considerations
Moral principles and values that guide the responsible design, development, and use of computing innovations, addressing questions of fairness, accountability, and societal well-being.
Example:
When designing a new social media platform, developers must address ethical considerations like preventing the spread of misinformation and protecting user mental health.
Harmful Effects
Negative consequences or disadvantages that result from the use or misuse of computing innovations.
Example:
A harmful effect of excessive social media use can be a decline in mental well-being due to constant comparison.
Job Displacement
The loss of jobs due to automation and technological advancements, where machines or algorithms take over tasks previously performed by humans.
Example:
The introduction of self-checkout kiosks in grocery stores can lead to job displacement for cashiers.
Legal and Ethical Issues
Challenges and dilemmas related to laws, morality, and responsible conduct that arise with the development and use of computing innovations.
Example:
The debate over data ownership and intellectual property rights in AI-generated art is a significant legal and ethical issue in the tech world.
Privacy Loss
The reduction or elimination of an individual's control over their personal information, often due to extensive data collection and sharing by computing systems.
Example:
When a fitness tracker shares your location data with third-party advertisers without your explicit consent, it contributes to privacy loss.
Security Risks
Vulnerabilities in computing systems that can be exploited by malicious actors, leading to data breaches, system damage, or identity theft.
Example:
Phishing emails are a common security risk that attempts to trick users into revealing sensitive information like passwords.
Technology Dependence
An over-reliance on computing innovations for daily tasks, communication, or information, potentially leading to negative health or social consequences.
Example:
Students who struggle to complete assignments without constant internet access might be experiencing technology dependence.
Unintended Effects
Consequences of a computing innovation that were not foreseen or planned by its creators, which can be either positive or negative.
Example:
While designed for scientific information sharing, the World Wide Web's unintended effect was becoming a global platform for commerce, social interaction, and entertainment.