Societal Impact Class 11: Digital Footprints, IPR, Cyber Crime, Cyber Safety and the IT Act

What Societal Impact is about

Weightage: This chapter is part of Unit III, Society, Law and Ethics, which carries 15 of the 70 theory marks in the school annual exam.Source: CBSE Computer Science (083) syllabus 2026-27, Class XI distribution of marks, Unit III Society, Law and Ethics

Key concepts

Digital footprints

NCERT section NCERT 11.2

Whenever we use the Internet we leave a trail of data about what we did: sites visited, searches, posts, emails, purchases, along with the device's IP address and location. This trail is our digital footprint.

• Active digital footprint: data we intentionally put online: posts, comments, emails, form entries, uploaded photos.
• Passive digital footprint: data collected without our deliberate action: browsing history, cookies, location tracking by apps, the record that we visited a site.

Footprints are stored in our browser and device and, mostly, on the servers of the websites and apps, where we cannot delete them. So a footprint may remain even after we delete a post. It can be used for targeted advertising and, if misused, to trace or profile a person. A careful netizen thinks before posting and reviews browser and app permissions.

Worked example

Classify as active or passive: (a) posting a photo from a trip (b) a shopping site remembering items you looked at (c) filling an online admission form (d) a maps app recording your route (e) commenting on a video.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Deliberately shared by you: (a), (c), (e).
2. Collected while you used a service, without a deliberate post: (b), (d).

Answer: Active: (a), (c), (e). Passive: (b), (d).

Netizen and net etiquettes

NCERT section NCERT 11.3, 11.3.1

A digital society uses digital technology for communication, banking, shopping, learning and more. Anyone who uses digital technology and the Internet is a digital citizen or netizen. A good netizen uses technology safely, ethically and legally.

Net etiquettes (netiquette):

• No copyright violation: do not use others' copyrighted material without permission.
• Share expertise only when sure the information is correct, and avoid repeating what already exists.
• Respect privacy: do not share someone's private messages, photos or files without consent.
• Respect diversity of culture, opinion, knowledge and experience.
• Avoid cyber bullying.
• Don't feed the troll: ignore people who post to provoke, since trolls want attention.

Worked example

Which etiquette is broken? (a) Forwarding a friend's private chat screenshot to a group. (b) Mocking a classmate's accent in comments. (c) Uploading a film to a public drive. (d) Replying angrily to someone who posts provocative comments on every thread.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. (a) Private content shared without consent: respect privacy.
2. (b) Ridicule of a person's background: respect diversity (and it may be bullying if repeated).
3. (c) Copyright violation.
4. (d) Feeding the troll: such posts should be ignored.

Answer: (a) Privacy (b) Diversity (c) Copyright (d) Don't feed the troll.

Communication and social media etiquettes

NCERT section NCERT 11.3.2, 11.3.3

Communication etiquettes (email, chat, calls, forums):

• Be precise: respect others' time (no unnecessary messages, do not expect instant replies) and data limits (share large files as compressed files or cloud links instead of heavy attachments).
• Be polite: courteous even when disagreeing, in both synchronous (real time: chat, calls) and asynchronous (email, forum posts) communication.
• Be credible: our past comments decide whether others trust us, so write carefully.

Social media etiquettes:

• Choose passwords wisely: strong, changed often, never shared.
• Know who you befriend: be careful with unknown people.
• Beware of fake information: check before believing or forwarding.
• Think before uploading: what is uploaded stays on servers even after deletion.

Worked example

A student emails a 300 MB video to 40 classmates and posts a 'school closed tomorrow' message seen on another group without checking. Name the two etiquettes broken and the better practice.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. A huge attachment to many people ignores data limits: share a cloud link instead.
2. Forwarding unchecked news spreads fake information: verify from the school's official notice first.

Answer: Respect data limits (use a link) and beware of fake information (verify before sharing).

Data protection and intellectual property rights

NCERT section NCERT 11.4, 11.4.1

Data protection is about keeping sensitive data private: data whose leak could cause harm, embarrassment or unfairness, such as biometric, health and financial details or personal photos. It is protected by encryption, authentication and laws on how data is processed, stored and sent.

Intellectual property is a creation of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, names and logos. IPR give the creator legal ownership, so they can earn recognition or money from it.

• Copyright: protects original creative works: writing, music, photos, videos, software, art. It is automatic when the work is created. It gives the owner the right to copy, adapt, distribute and display the work.
• Patent: protects an invention. It must be applied for and granted; it gives the inventor exclusive rights for 20 years, after which anyone may use the invention.
• Trademark: protects a brand identity: a name, logo, symbol, slogan or design that distinguishes a company's goods; it also blocks confusingly similar marks.

Worked example

Which IPR protects: (a) a new type of low-cost water filter (b) a novel written by a student (c) the logo and name of a sports brand (d) a mobile app's source code?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. An invention: patent.
2. A creative written work: copyright.
3. A brand's identity: trademark.
4. Software code is a creative work: copyright.

Answer: (a) Patent (b) Copyright (c) Trademark (d) Copyright.

Violation of IPR

NCERT section NCERT 11.4.2

• Plagiarism: presenting someone else's work or idea as your own without crediting the source; it is unethical even if the material is free to use. Citing the source avoids plagiarism.
• Copyright infringement: using someone's copyrighted work without permission (or without paying, if it is sold). Giving credit does not make it legal if the owner has not allowed the use. Software piracy (copying or distributing software without a licence) is copyright infringement.
• Trademark infringement: unauthorised use of another's trademark, or a confusingly similar one, on products or services.

Note the difference: plagiarism is about not giving credit; infringement is about not having permission.

Worked example

Name the violation: (a) Copying a blog's paragraphs into a school project without naming the blog. (b) Using a paid stock photo in a printed magazine after crediting the photographer but without buying a licence. (c) Selling shoes as 'Adibas' with a three-stripe logo. (d) Installing a cracked copy of paid software.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. (a) Presenting others' words as your own: plagiarism.
2. (b) Credit given but no permission: copyright infringement.
3. (c) Confusingly similar brand: trademark infringement.
4. (d) Unlicensed software: piracy, a copyright infringement.

Answer: (a) Plagiarism (b) Copyright infringement (c) Trademark infringement (d) Copyright infringement (piracy).

Open source and public licences: CC, GPL, Apache

NCERT section NCERT 11.4.3; CBSE syllabus (Apache)

A licence sets the rules under which others may use a work. Public licences let others use, and often modify and share, a copyrighted work without asking individually.

• Creative Commons (CC): for creative works (text, images, music, videos, websites). The author picks conditions such as BY (give credit), SA (share adaptations under the same licence), NC (non-commercial use only) and ND (no changes).
• GNU GPL (General Public License): for software. Users may run, study, share and modify it, and may even charge for copies, but any modified version that is distributed must also be released under the GPL with its source code (this 'copyleft' keeps the software free).
• Apache License: a permissive software licence. Users may use, modify and distribute the code, including inside proprietary (closed) products, provided they keep the copyright and licence notices and state their changes; it also grants patent rights from contributors.

FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) shares its source code openly (Linux-based Ubuntu and Fedora, LibreOffice, Mozilla Firefox). Freeware is free to use but closed. Proprietary software is sold and its code is not shared.

Worked example

A start-up wants to use an open-source library in a paid app whose own code it will keep secret. Library X is under GPL and library Y under Apache 2.0. Which suits, and why?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. GPL requires a distributed program that includes GPL code to be released under the GPL with its source: the app's code could not stay secret.
2. Apache allows use in closed, paid products as long as notices are kept.

Answer: Library Y (Apache), because it is permissive; the GPL's copyleft would require opening the app's source.

Cyber crime: hacking, eavesdropping, phishing, ransomware

NCERT section NCERT 11.5, 11.5.1-11.5.3; CBSE syllabus (eavesdropping)

Cyber crime is any criminal act in which a computer or network is the target or the tool, aimed at an individual, a group, an organisation or a country, to cause financial loss, harm or harassment.

• Hacking: gaining unauthorised access to a computer or network. Ethical (white hat) hackers find weaknesses with the owner's permission so they can be fixed; black hat hackers (crackers) break in to steal data, cause damage or make money.
• Eavesdropping: secretly intercepting private communication (messages, calls, data on an unsecured network) while it is being sent. Public Wi-Fi without encryption is a common risk.
• Phishing and fraud emails: fake emails, messages, calls or websites made to look genuine (a bank's logo, a similar web address) to trick people into giving passwords, card or OTP details. Identity theft uses stolen personal data (Aadhaar, PAN, bank details) to commit fraud in the victim's name.
• Ransomware: malware that locks or encrypts a victim's data and demands payment to restore it, sometimes threatening to publish it. It spreads through malicious sites, downloads, email attachments and fake adverts.

Worked example

Name the crime: (a) An SMS says 'Your electricity will be cut tonight; update your details at elec-bill-update.co'. (b) All files on an office PC become unreadable and a note asks for payment in cryptocurrency. (c) Someone on the same café Wi-Fi captures the messages you send. (d) A student logs into the school's marks server with a teacher's stolen password.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. (a) A fake message to steal details: phishing.
2. (b) Data locked for payment: ransomware.
3. (c) Intercepting communication: eavesdropping.
4. (d) Unauthorised access: hacking.

Answer: (a) Phishing (b) Ransomware (c) Eavesdropping (d) Hacking.

Cyber trolls and cyber bullying

NCERT section NCERT 11.3.1

• A cyber troll posts provocative, insulting or off-topic messages in online communities to start quarrels and upset people for amusement. The advice is not to respond: trolls feed on attention. Report and block if it continues.
• Cyber bullying is using digital media to repeatedly harass, threaten, humiliate or embarrass a particular person: spreading rumours, threats, posting their personal information or photos, mocking comments, sexual harassment, excluding them from groups.

Both cause real harm; actions can be traced through digital footprints, and serious cases are crimes under the law. A victim should not reply, should keep screenshots as evidence, block the bully, tell a trusted adult, and report to the platform or the cyber cell.

Worked example

Over two weeks, a group keeps posting edited photos of one student with insulting captions. What is this, and what three steps should the student take?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Repeated, targeted humiliation of one person online: cyber bullying.
2. Steps: do not retaliate; save evidence (screenshots, links); block and report to the platform; tell parents or a teacher; report to the cyber crime cell if needed.

Answer: Cyber bullying; save evidence, block and report, and inform a trusted adult (and the cyber cell if serious).

Cyber safety and malware

NCERT section NCERT 11.5.4; CBSE syllabus (trojans, adware)

Cyber safety means using the Internet in a way that protects you and your data.

• Safe browsing: use known sites with HTTPS; heed browser warnings about unverified certificates; do not click unknown links or pop-ups; download only from trusted sources; keep the browser and system updated; use a private window on shared computers and do not let it save passwords.
• Identity protection: do not share passwords, OTPs, Aadhaar or bank details; use strong, different passwords for different sites (mix of letters, digits and symbols, no common words); turn on two-step verification; be careful what personal details you post.
• Confidentiality: keep private information private: lock devices, use encryption, secure the home Wi-Fi with a strong password, log out of shared computers, and refuse cookies from unknown sites.

Malware (malicious software) is software made to damage a system or gain unauthorised access:

• Virus: malicious code that attaches to a file or program and copies itself when it runs, corrupting data or the system.
• Trojan horse: malware disguised as useful software (a free game, a 'cleaner'); once installed it lets attackers in or steals data. It does not copy itself like a virus.
• Adware: software that floods the user with unwanted advertisements (pop-ups, redirects), often bundled with free software, and may track browsing.

Defences: an updated antivirus, regular backups, updates, avoiding pirated software and unknown attachments.

Worked example

Identify the malware: (a) After installing a 'free video converter', the browser shows endless pop-up ads. (b) A 'battery booster' app secretly sends your contacts to an unknown server. (c) A file on a pen drive infects every .exe file it touches on each PC it is used in.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. (a) Unwanted ads after a bundled install: adware.
2. (b) Pretends to be useful but steals data: trojan.
3. (c) Attaches to programs and copies itself: virus.

Answer: (a) Adware (b) Trojan (c) Virus.

IT Act, e-waste, and gender and disability issues

NCERT section NCERT 11.6; CBSE syllabus (e-waste, gender and disability)

Information Technology Act: India's IT Act, 2000, amended in 2008, gives legal recognition to electronic records and digital signatures (so government offices and businesses can use them), sets out cyber crimes and their penalties (such as hacking, tampering with source code, using another person's password, publishing someone's sensitive data without consent), and provides for a tribunal to settle disputes. Cyber crime can be reported at police cyber cells.

E-waste management: discarded phones, computers, batteries and chargers contain harmful substances (such as lead, mercury and cadmium) that pollute soil and water if dumped or burnt, and valuable metals that can be recovered. Proper disposal: reduce (buy only what is needed, repair), reuse (donate or resell working devices), recycle through authorised e-waste collectors or the maker's take-back scheme, and erase personal data before giving a device away. Never throw e-waste in ordinary garbage.

Gender issues: fewer girls choose computing, often because of stereotypes that it is a 'boys' subject', lack of role models, less access to devices at home, and classroom or game content aimed at boys. Remedies: equal access to labs, encouraging girls through clubs and mentors, and gender-neutral examples.
Disability issues: students with visual, hearing or motor disabilities need assistive technology, such as screen readers, braille keyboards and displays, screen magnifiers, voice input and captions, plus accessible content and trained teachers. Lack of such aids, their cost and inaccessible software keep many from using computers fully.

Worked example

Suppose a school is replacing 40 old computers. Suggest a responsible plan for them and one step to make the new lab inclusive.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Wipe all data; donate working machines to a community centre (reuse).
2. Send the rest to an authorised e-waste recycler, not the scrap dealer who burns cables (recycle).
3. Inclusion: install a screen reader and add a braille keyboard, and run a coding club that actively invites girls.

Answer: Erase data, reuse what works, recycle the rest through an authorised recycler; add assistive tools and encourage equal participation.

Societal Impact in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• Cyber Crime, Malware and Cyber Safety: Phishing, Ransomware, Trolls and Safe Browsing (CBSE 11)
• IPR, Plagiarism, Infringement and Open Source Licences: Copyright, Patent, Trademark, CC, GPL, Apache (CBSE 11)

Societal Impact: syntax and key facts

Footprints

Active = shared on purpose; passive = collected while browsing

Both persist on servers.

IPR

Copyright: creative works (automatic); patent: inventions (applied, 20 years); trademark: brand identity

Software is protected by copyright.

Violations

Plagiarism: no credit; copyright infringement: no permission; trademark infringement: misuse of a brand

Credit does not replace permission.

Licences

CC: creative works; GPL: copyleft software; Apache: permissive software

GPL derivatives must stay GPL; Apache allows closed use with notices.

Cyber crimes

Hacking, eavesdropping, phishing/fraud emails, ransomware, trolling, cyber bullying

Computer as target or as tool.

Malware

Virus: self-copying; trojan: disguised; adware: unwanted ads

Antivirus, updates, backups, no pirated software.

How the school exam asks Societal Impact

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember Societal Impact

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• Copy-Pat-Trade

  Copyright for creations, patent for inventions, trademark for brands.

  Use it when: IPR questions.

• Credit vs permission

  No credit = plagiarism; no permission = infringement.

  Use it when: Violation questions.

• GPL is sticky, Apache is easy

  GPL sticks to every distributed copy (copyleft); Apache lets you close your code if you keep the notices.

  Use it when: Licence choice.

• Virus copies, trojan disguises, adware advertises

  V-C, T-D, A-A.

  Use it when: Malware identification.

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, eRase

  Four Rs for an old device; erase personal data first.

  Use it when: E-waste answers.

Societal Impact: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Case-study practice (Section E style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In a school exam set on the board pattern this is a 4-mark question split into 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 marks.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

Where students lose marks in Societal Impact

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Thinking credit makes copying legal

  Crediting avoids plagiarism but still infringes copyright without permission.

  Wrong working

  I credited the photographer, so using the paid photo is fine.

  Right working

  Credit avoids plagiarism; permission or a suitable licence is still needed to avoid copyright infringement.

  ✓Do this: Check the licence or ask the owner.

  Usually costs: 1 mark

• ✗Mistake: Saying patents are automatic

  Copyright is automatic; a patent must be applied for and granted.

  Wrong working

  An invention is patented as soon as it is made.

  Right working

  The inventor must file for a patent; once granted it lasts 20 years.

  ✓Do this: Only copyright is automatic.

  Usually costs: 1 mark

• ✗Mistake: Calling every attack 'hacking'

  Each crime has a specific name; marks go for the exact term.

  Wrong working

  A fake bank email is hacking.

  Right working

  A fake bank email is phishing.

  ✓Do this: Use the term that matches the action: trick → phishing, lock → ransomware, intercept → eavesdropping.

  Usually costs: 1 mark

• ✗Mistake: Mixing up a virus and a trojan

  A virus copies itself into other files; a trojan pretends to be useful and does not self-replicate.

  Wrong working

  A fake game app that steals data is a virus.

  Right working

  It is a trojan.

  ✓Do this: Ask: does it spread by copying itself, or did the user install it believing it was useful?

  Usually costs: 1 mark

• ✗Mistake: Giving vague e-waste answers

  'Throw it away carefully' is not proper disposal.

  Wrong working

  Put old phones in the dustbin after removing the SIM.

  Right working

  Erase data; reuse or donate if working; otherwise hand over to an authorised e-waste recycler or take-back scheme.

  ✓Do this: Name the action and the authorised channel.

  Usually costs: 1 mark

NCERT exercise guide: Societal Impact

What each exercise in the NCERT chapter tests, how to approach it, and a question of the same kind solved step by step. Questions here are written in our own words.

Practice questions on Societal Impact

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level

   Which of these is protected automatically, without applying? (a) Patent (b) Trademark (c) Copyright (d) None

   Hint

   Created and protected at once.

   Answer

   (c) Copyright

2. Q2 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

   What is a netizen? Give two qualities of a good netizen.

   Hint

   Net + citizen.

   Answer

   A person who uses digital technology and the Internet. A good netizen respects others' privacy and diversity, avoids copyright violation and bullying, and verifies information before sharing (any two).

3. Q3 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

   Differentiate between a virus and adware.

   Hint

   One copies itself, one shows ads.

   Answer

   A virus attaches to files or programs, copies itself and can corrupt data or the system. Adware displays unwanted advertisements and may track browsing; it does not usually replicate.

4. Q4 · 1 mark · MCQHarder exam level

   Assertion (A): Deleting an embarrassing post removes it from the Internet for ever. Reason (R): Digital footprints are stored on servers that users do not control. Choose (a) both true, R explains A (b) both true, R does not explain A (c) A false, R true (d) both false.

   Hint

   Who controls the copies?

   Answer

   (c) A is false; R is true (copies may remain on servers and with others).

5. Q5 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

   Why is the GPL called a 'copyleft' licence?

   Hint

   What must a distributed modified version do?

   Answer

   Because it uses copyright to keep software free: anyone may run, study, change and share it, but a modified version that is distributed must also be released under the GPL with its source code, so the freedoms pass on.

6. Q6 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level

   Name the cyber crime: an attacker in a hotel lobby captures the login details guests type over the open Wi-Fi.

   Hint

   Listening in on data in transit.

   Answer

   Eavesdropping.

7. Q7 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

   Suggest four steps a family should follow before getting rid of an old smartphone.

   Hint

   Data first, then the device.

   Answer

   Back up needed data; sign out of accounts and factory-reset to erase personal data; remove SIM and memory card; donate or resell if working, otherwise give it to an authorised e-waste collector or take-back scheme.

8. Q8 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   A student's project uses three images: one he drew, one under CC BY-NC, one from a news site with no licence stated. The project will be sold at a school fair. Which images can he use and how?

   Hint

   NC means non-commercial.

   Answer

   His own drawing: yes. CC BY-NC: not for a project that is sold (commercial use); he would need the creator's permission. News-site image: copyrighted by default; he needs permission. Credit alone is not enough for the last two.

9. Q9 · 3 marks · Short answerExam level

   What does the IT Act, 2000 provide? Give three points.

   Hint

   Records, signatures, crimes.

   Answer

   Legal recognition of electronic records and digital signatures (so e-governance and online transactions are valid); definition of cyber crimes such as hacking and data misuse with penalties; a tribunal to settle disputes. It was amended in 2008.

10. Q10 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

    Suppose your younger cousin gets a game-chat message from a stranger offering free in-game coins if he shares his parent's card number 'for verification'. Explain the danger and three rules you would teach him.

    Hint

    Phishing plus stranger danger.

    Answer

    It is a phishing attempt aiming at financial fraud. Rules: never share card numbers, passwords or OTPs; do not trust offers from strangers online and tell a parent at once; block and report the account.

11. Q11 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

    Why are fewer girls seen in many computer labs, and how can teachers change this? Give two reasons and two measures.

    Hint

    Stereotypes, access, role models.

    Answer

    Reasons: stereotypes that computing is for boys; fewer devices at home or role models. Measures: mentoring and girls' coding clubs; equal lab access and gender-neutral examples.

12. Q12 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

    Is downloading a paid film from a free site 'just for personal use' legal? Explain.

    Hint

    Whose permission?

    Answer

    No. Copying or distributing a copyrighted work without the owner's permission is copyright infringement (piracy) even for personal use; such sites may also spread malware.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.What is a passive digital footprint?Show answer

   Data collected about us online without our deliberate action, such as browsing history or app location data.

2. 2.For how long does a patent protect an invention?Show answer

   20 years.

3. 3.Which licence is mainly used for creative works like images and music?Show answer

   Creative Commons.

4. 4.What is a white hat hacker?Show answer

   An ethical hacker who finds security weaknesses with permission so they can be fixed.

5. 5.What kind of malware demands payment to unlock data?Show answer

   Ransomware.

6. 6.In which year was India's IT Act passed and when was it amended?Show answer

   2000; amended in 2008.

7. 7.What is a troll?Show answer

   A person who posts provocative or off-topic messages online to start quarrels and upset people.

8. 8.Name two assistive technologies for visually impaired users.Show answer

   Screen readers and braille keyboards or displays (also screen magnifiers).

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐Digital footprint: data trail online; active (intentional), passive (unintentional).
• ☐Netizen: safe, ethical, legal user; respect privacy, diversity, copyright; don't feed trolls.
• ☐Copyright (creative, automatic), patent (invention, 20 years), trademark (brand).
• ☐Plagiarism = no credit; infringement = no permission; piracy = unlicensed software.
• ☐CC for creative works; GPL copyleft; Apache permissive with notices.
• ☐Hacking, eavesdropping, phishing, ransomware, trolling, cyber bullying.
• ☐Virus copies itself; trojan disguises; adware shows unwanted ads.
• ☐IT Act 2000 (amended 2008): e-records, digital signatures, cyber crime penalties.
• ☐E-waste: reduce, reuse, recycle via authorised recyclers; erase data first.
• ☐Inclusion: equal access and encouragement for girls; assistive tech for disabilities.

Societal Impact: frequently asked questions