Oxford International Primary Computing Student Book PDF

## 2.1 Collecting Data Online ### In this lesson You will learn: * How data is collected online * How cookies are used on websites ### Finding Information Online There are many reasons to look for information. You might do a web search to find information for a geography project. You might look...

## 2.1 Collecting Data Online ### In this lesson You will learn: * How data is collected online * How cookies are used on websites ### Finding Information Online There are many reasons to look for information. You might do a web search to find information for a geography project. You might look for reviews online to help you decide which model of smartphone is best for you. In the modern world, the information you need is usually on the internet. When you use the internet you also give away information. In this lesson you will learn about the ways in which websites collect data about you. ### Online Registration Websites such as social media and internet shopping sites usually ask you to register before you can use them. **Registration** means becoming a member of a website. You fill in an online form and provide information about yourself to the owner of the site. In return for registering, you receive some benefits. For example, you might be able to: * Read pages that are hidden from non-registered users. * Leave messages in chat rooms and on message boards * Add content * Get email updates when new content is added to the site. * Download software. ### Which information should you give? The owner of a website should only collect the information they need, such as a username and password. They may also need contact details such as an email address. Some websites ask for optional information such as your telephone number or birthday. You don't have to give optional information to register. Always think about what information you need to provide when you complete forms online. ### Activity Imagine you have designed a new website about your favourite computer game. Your website has a chat room so that friends can discuss the game and share tips on how to play. What information will you collect from your friends when they register? Design a registration form to use on your website. ### Online shopping Buying online is called internet shopping or e-commerce. Internet shopping sites collect data when people buy things. Some of the data that shopping sites collect is personal data, including: * Bank details - so we can pay for the items * Address and other contact details - so the company can deliver the items. Website owners must keep personal details safe. A criminal can use a persons bank details to steal money from their bank account. A criminal can use personal details such as a person's address to impersonate (pretend to be) the person and then commit crime in their name. Internet shops use **secure sites** to protect data. A secure site encrypts information that is sent over the internet. Encrypted data is coded. If a criminal steals the data they will not be able to read or use the data. ### Is this site secure? When you are browsing the web, there are two clues that tell you a website is secure. * There is a small locked padlock symbol. * The URL of a secure site starts with https://. The 's' stands for secure. It tells you that the data is encrypted when it is sent over the internet. Never send information across the internet if the website is not secure. However, not all secure sites are safe to use. The safest way to send information is to use a secure site that you have used before and can trust. ### Cookies A cookie is a small file that is stored on your computer when you visit a website. A cookie saves information about the way you use web pages. The website uses this information to improve your experience of using the website. ### Types of cookies There are four types of cookies: * **Essential cookies** are needed to make a website work as designed. On an internet shopping site, the shopping basket function needs cookies to make it work properly. * **Performance cookies** collect information about how you use a website. The owner of a website uses this information to improve the performance of the website. * **Functionality cookies** record what you do on a web page. This information is used to personalise the web page for you. * **Advertising cookies** record what you look at online. The information is used to personalise the adverts displayed on a web page. #### What are cookies used for? Cookies are used for two main reasons: * Cookies make it easier to use websites. For example, if you complete a form on a website, the information is saved in a cookie. This means that the website can automatically complete the form the next time you use it. * Cookies are used to personalise a website. For example: * A cookie can store your location. That information can be used to make sure you see weather reports and events that are local to you. * Advertisers use cookies to make sure they show you adverts for events and products you are interested in. They can collect this information from your browsing history. * The news stories that you see can be customised to match your interests. #### Did you know? The first internet shop was called NetMarket. It made its first sale in 1994. In 2019, 1.92 billion people were expected to buy something on the internet. ### Cookies and the Law The information that cookies collect is often very valuable to advertisers. Some website owners sell the information to advertisers and other organisations such as political parties. Some cookies have been developed to collect valuable information that can then be sold. These are called **tracking cookies**. Some people worry that tracking cookies can be used to influence our opinions and affect the way we vote in elections. The governments in some countries have passed laws about the use of cookies. Website owners must make it clear what cookies their sites use and what they use the cookies for. These laws make it easier for people to decide which cookies to accept and which to reject. #### Activity Draw a table with two columns like the one shown here: | Good uses of cookies | Bad uses of cookies | |---|---| In the first column list all the ways that cookies make using the internet better. In the second column list all the bad things that cookies are used for. #### Extra challenge Search the web to find out more information about cookies. Add any new information you discover to the table you created in the activity. #### Test 1. Name two reasons for data being collected online. 2. What are the two main reasons that websites use cookies? 3. Explain how cookies can be used to personalise a website. Give examples. 4. Why do people worry about he use of cookies on websites?