FACULTY OF ACCOUNTING & INFORMATICS

Department of Information Systems

Presentation and Discussion (TIPP301)

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMME: DIPLOMA IN ICT: DIIAD1/DIIBA1/DIIAF1

INSTRUCTIONAL OFFERING : THEORY OF ICT PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
SUBJECT CODE : TIPP 301
DATE : 13 – 19 MAY 2022
TH TH

TOTAL MARKS : 10%

ADJUDICATOR : L MADAMSHETTY & A O OWOPUTI

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Instruction: Each group is to choose only ONE of these scenarios for debate with half of
the group members arguing in favor of, and half of the group members arguing against the
subject matter. Each group will have maximum of 15 mins for their presentation.
 SCENARIO 1

WhatsApp has long been a defender of its users’ privacy, employing end-to-end encryption for all messages
sent through its service and regularly resisting requests from authorities for data access. As a result,
WhatsApp has been the instant messaging app of choice for users who wish to keep their conversations
private, including individuals working to expose corruption within organizations. When Facebook
purchased WhatsApp in 2014, WhatsApp CEO and co-founder Jan Koum declared that nothing would
change with the company’s privacy practices. In 2016, WhatsApp announced that it would begin providing
user data – including phone numbers, usage data, and information on devices and operating systems being
used – to Facebook and the Facebook family of companies. They feel it is of benefit for various reasons,
they also feel it makes economic sense. Do you agree with WhatsApp?

Choose one side of the argument and defend your position.

SCENARIO 2

The potential for decreased productivity and increased legal liabilities has led many employers to monitor
workers to ensure that corporate IT usage policies are being followed. Almost 80 per cent of major
companies choose to record and review employee communications and activities on the job, including
phone calls, email, and web surfing. Some are even videotaping employees on the job. In addition, some
companies employ random drug testing and psychological testing. With few exceptions, these increasingly
common (and many would say intrusive) practices are perfectly legal. Do you think companies should be
allowed to do this?

Choose one side of the argument and defend your position.

SCENARIO 3

Drones can be used for recreational purposes, such as drones flown in a park as a hobby for pleasure, or
used by a photographer to take unusual photographs. Civilian and commercial drones could be used for a
variety of purposes which might include surveillance around malls or for monitoring and control of road
traffic, domestic policing, oil, gas, and mineral exploration, and the delivery of goods. Additional uses
might include crop monitoring and spraying, fire services and forestry surveillance. Military drones are
already being used for a variety of purposes such as reconnaissance, surveillance, remote sensing, armed
attacks and warfare; further uses include target monitoring and designation, as well as the elimination of
designated targets. With all the functionalities and possibilities associated with the use of drones, and
growing concerns for privacy, do you think people should be allowed to own and use drones?

Choose one side of the argument and defend your position.

 SCENARIO 4

The Internet of Things is a buzzword that describes billions of devices that are connected globally to the
internet, all collecting, processing and exchanging data. This process involves devices that may be
embedded with sensors, software and other specific tools/technologies. Essentially the purpose of this is
to create a smarter world, that is responsive and one that merges the digital and physical world. However,
with all the benefits that are encountered, we are also met with issues that impede this process and one such
issue is the inadequacy of security and privacy. This inadequacy increases the risk of personal information
being leaked during the process of data collection and retrieval. Would you be content if your personal
data is harvested for global statistics without your consent or knowledge?

Choose one side of the argument and defend your position.

SCENARIO 5

While customer profiles can be a good business tool, they can also cause ethical issues. To develop customer
profiles, businesses must collect information about their customers. Companies openly collect information
about users when they register at websites, complete surveys, fill out forms, follow them on social media,
or enter contests online. Many companies also obtain personal information through the use of cookies.
Companies also use tracking software to allow their websites to analyze browsing habits and deduce
personal interests and preferences. The use of cookies and tracking software is controversial because
companies can collect information about consumers without their explicit permission. Do you think
companies should be allowed to collect this personal information?

Choose one side of the argument and defend your position.