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(a) (i) “With the growing rate of
the Internet, the already more economically
challenged families are subjected to a further financial disadvantage”.
Discuss this quotation, using examples to explain why it may be true.
[3]
Sample answer: The Internet can provide access
to a wide range
of useful information that can assist a user financially: eg. the
Internet assists users in searching for lower insurance rates,
better housing, and different job opportunities. [1] Already
economically disadvantaged people who are unable to afford
access to the Internet can therefore not access this information
that may improve their financial standing [1]. Thus, the gap
between the “information rich” and the “information
poor”
societies may equate to the gap between the “financially rich”
and
the “financially poor” [1] (Accept other appropriate answers)
(ii) Privacy and Free Speech are legal issues concerning Internet
use. For
each, describe two associated problems. [4]
Answer:
Privacy: Accessing another user’s password enables access to
their private information, to which they have no right; a users’
personal information may be collected through Internet use and
sold to another company; “cookies” can reveal much about
a
person’s private interests. (2 marks for any two valid points).
Free Speech: free speech laws effectively enable users to put any
information on the Internet; access to offensive material by
children cannot be controlled on the Internet; censoring the
information placed on the Internet is against the principle of free
speech. (2 marks for any two valid points).
(b) Most web users are accustomed to
paying a single fee to a service provider for access to the Internet,
and then paying nothing for the content that they access.
(i) How do current web content providers receive the majority of their
income? [1]
Answer: through advertisers who pay for advertising
space on the
web page. [1]
(ii) Describe the “Microcent” method of financing the provision
of
information on the web. [2]
Answer: users would pay a small amount (eg.
$0.0001) to access
different items on the web. [1] Content providers receive income
when a user accesses their pages [1].
(iii) State three disadvantages of the Microcent method [3]
Answer: difficulty of maintaining records
for thousands of
microcent transactions [1], lack of technology to support
transactions of this small magnitude [1], resistance from users to
paying for content [1]
(iv) State two advantages of the Microcent method. [2]
Answer: users do not pay for the potential
to access content that
they will never want to access [1]; users do not need to set up an
account with a service provider [1]
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