NCERT Textbook: Societal Impacts | Informatics Practices for Class 12 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

 Page 1


In this chapter
 » Introduction
 » Digital Footprints
 » Digital Society and 
Netizen
 » Data Protection
 » Creative Commons
 » Cyber Crime
 » Indian Information 
Technology Act (IT Act)
 » E-waste: Hazards and 
Management
 » Impact on Health
6.1 Introduct Ion In recent years, the world around us has 
seen a lot of changes due to use of ‘Digital 
Technologies’. These changes have made a 
dramatic impact on our lives, making things 
more convenient, faster, and easier to handle. 
In the past, a letter would take days to reach, 
and every recipient would get his or her own 
copy and respond separately. Today, one can 
send and receive emails to more than one 
person at a time. The instantaneous nature 
of electronic communications has made us 
more efficient and productive.
From the banking industry to aviation, 
industrial production to e-commerce, 
especially with regard to the delivery of their 
“I think computer viruses should 
count as life. I think it says 
something about human nature 
that the only form of life we have 
created so far is purely destructive. 
We’ve created life in our own 
image.”
—  Stephen Hawking
Chapter
 6
Societal Impacts
Chapter 6.indd   167 10/9/2020   12:36:45 PM
2024-25
Page 2


In this chapter
 » Introduction
 » Digital Footprints
 » Digital Society and 
Netizen
 » Data Protection
 » Creative Commons
 » Cyber Crime
 » Indian Information 
Technology Act (IT Act)
 » E-waste: Hazards and 
Management
 » Impact on Health
6.1 Introduct Ion In recent years, the world around us has 
seen a lot of changes due to use of ‘Digital 
Technologies’. These changes have made a 
dramatic impact on our lives, making things 
more convenient, faster, and easier to handle. 
In the past, a letter would take days to reach, 
and every recipient would get his or her own 
copy and respond separately. Today, one can 
send and receive emails to more than one 
person at a time. The instantaneous nature 
of electronic communications has made us 
more efficient and productive.
From the banking industry to aviation, 
industrial production to e-commerce, 
especially with regard to the delivery of their 
“I think computer viruses should 
count as life. I think it says 
something about human nature 
that the only form of life we have 
created so far is purely destructive. 
We’ve created life in our own 
image.”
—  Stephen Hawking
Chapter
 6
Societal Impacts
Chapter 6.indd   167 10/9/2020   12:36:45 PM
2024-25
Informat Ics Pract Ices 168
 
goods and services, all are now dependent on the use 
of computers and digital technologies. Applications 
of digital technologies have redefined and evolved all 
spheres of human activities. Today more and more people 
are using digital technologies through smartphones, 
computers, etc., with the help of high speed Internet. 
Why did the digital technologies become so 
widespread? The introduction of personal computers 
(PCs) and Internet followed by smartphones has brought 
these technologies to the common man. 
While we reap the benefits of digital technologies, 
these technologies can also be misused. Let’s look at 
the impact of these technologies on our society and the 
best practices that can ensure a productive and safe 
digital environment for us. 
6.2 d Ig Ital Footpr Ints Have you ever searched online for any information? 
Have you ever purchased an online ticket, or responded 
to your friend’s email, or checked the score of a 
game online? Whenever we surf the Internet using 
smartphones, tablets, computers, etc., we leave a 
trail of data reflecting the activities performed by us 
online, which is our digital footprint. 
Our digital footprint can be created and used with 
or without our knowledge. It includes websites we 
visit, emails we send, and any information we submit 
online, etc., along with the computer’s IP address, 
location, and other device specific details. Such data 
could be used for targeted advertisement or could 
also be misused or exploited. Thus, it is good to be 
aware of the data trail we might be leaving behind. 
This awareness should make us cautious about what 
we write, upload or download or even browse online.
There are two kinds of digital footprints we leave 
behind. Active digital footprints which includes data 
that we intentionally submit online. This would 
include emails we write, or responses or posts we 
make on different websites or mobile Apps, etc. The 
digital data trail we leave online unintentionally is 
called passive digital footprints. This includes the 
data generated when we visit a website, use a mobile 
App, browse Internet, etc. as shown in Figure 6.1 
Figure 6.1: Exemplar web 
applications that result in 
digital footprints
Chapter 6.indd   168 10/9/2020   12:36:54 PM
2024-25
Page 3


In this chapter
 » Introduction
 » Digital Footprints
 » Digital Society and 
Netizen
 » Data Protection
 » Creative Commons
 » Cyber Crime
 » Indian Information 
Technology Act (IT Act)
 » E-waste: Hazards and 
Management
 » Impact on Health
6.1 Introduct Ion In recent years, the world around us has 
seen a lot of changes due to use of ‘Digital 
Technologies’. These changes have made a 
dramatic impact on our lives, making things 
more convenient, faster, and easier to handle. 
In the past, a letter would take days to reach, 
and every recipient would get his or her own 
copy and respond separately. Today, one can 
send and receive emails to more than one 
person at a time. The instantaneous nature 
of electronic communications has made us 
more efficient and productive.
From the banking industry to aviation, 
industrial production to e-commerce, 
especially with regard to the delivery of their 
“I think computer viruses should 
count as life. I think it says 
something about human nature 
that the only form of life we have 
created so far is purely destructive. 
We’ve created life in our own 
image.”
—  Stephen Hawking
Chapter
 6
Societal Impacts
Chapter 6.indd   167 10/9/2020   12:36:45 PM
2024-25
Informat Ics Pract Ices 168
 
goods and services, all are now dependent on the use 
of computers and digital technologies. Applications 
of digital technologies have redefined and evolved all 
spheres of human activities. Today more and more people 
are using digital technologies through smartphones, 
computers, etc., with the help of high speed Internet. 
Why did the digital technologies become so 
widespread? The introduction of personal computers 
(PCs) and Internet followed by smartphones has brought 
these technologies to the common man. 
While we reap the benefits of digital technologies, 
these technologies can also be misused. Let’s look at 
the impact of these technologies on our society and the 
best practices that can ensure a productive and safe 
digital environment for us. 
6.2 d Ig Ital Footpr Ints Have you ever searched online for any information? 
Have you ever purchased an online ticket, or responded 
to your friend’s email, or checked the score of a 
game online? Whenever we surf the Internet using 
smartphones, tablets, computers, etc., we leave a 
trail of data reflecting the activities performed by us 
online, which is our digital footprint. 
Our digital footprint can be created and used with 
or without our knowledge. It includes websites we 
visit, emails we send, and any information we submit 
online, etc., along with the computer’s IP address, 
location, and other device specific details. Such data 
could be used for targeted advertisement or could 
also be misused or exploited. Thus, it is good to be 
aware of the data trail we might be leaving behind. 
This awareness should make us cautious about what 
we write, upload or download or even browse online.
There are two kinds of digital footprints we leave 
behind. Active digital footprints which includes data 
that we intentionally submit online. This would 
include emails we write, or responses or posts we 
make on different websites or mobile Apps, etc. The 
digital data trail we leave online unintentionally is 
called passive digital footprints. This includes the 
data generated when we visit a website, use a mobile 
App, browse Internet, etc. as shown in Figure 6.1 
Figure 6.1: Exemplar web 
applications that result in 
digital footprints
Chapter 6.indd   168 10/9/2020   12:36:54 PM
2024-25
 Societal i mpact S 169
Everyone who is connected to the Internet may have 
a digital footprint. With more usage, the trail grows. On 
examining the browser settings, we can find out how it 
stores our browsing history, cookies, passwords, auto 
fills, and many other types of data. 
Besides browser, most of our digital footprints are 
stored in servers where the applications are hosted. 
We may not have access to remove or erase that data, 
neither do we have any control on how that data will 
be used. Therefore, once a data trail is generated, even 
if we later try to erase data about our online activities, 
the digital footprints still remain. There is no guarantee 
that digital footprints will be fully eliminated from the 
Internet. Therefore, we need to be more cautious while 
being online! All our online activities leave a data trace 
on the Internet as well as on the computing device that 
we use. This can be used to trace the user, their location, 
device and other usage details.
6.3 d Ig Ital s oc Iety and n et Izen As our society is inclined towards using more and 
more digital technologies, we end up managing most 
of our tasks digitally. In this era of digital society, our 
daily activities like communication, social networking, 
banking, shopping, entertainment, education, 
transportation, etc., are increasingly being driven by 
online transactions. 
Digital society thus reflects the growing trend of 
using digital technologies in all spheres of human 
activities. But while online, all of us need to be aware 
of how to conduct ourselves, how best to relate with 
others and what ethics, morals and values to maintain. 
Anyone who uses digital technology along with Internet 
is a digital citizen or a netizen. Being a good netizen 
means practicing safe, ethical and legal use of digital 
technology. A responsible netizen must abide by 
net etiquettes, communication etiquettes and social 
media etiquettes.
6.3.1 Net Etiquettes
We follow certain etiquettes during our social 
interactions. Similarly, we need to exhibit proper 
manners and etiquettes while being online as shown 
in Figure 6.2. One should be ethical, respectful and 
responsible while surfing the Internet.
Can your digital 
footprints be used to 
judge your attitude 
and work ethics?
Think and Reflect
Activity 6.1
As a digital citizen, list  
various services that 
you avail online.
Chapter 6.indd   169 10/9/2020   12:36:54 PM
2024-25
Page 4


In this chapter
 » Introduction
 » Digital Footprints
 » Digital Society and 
Netizen
 » Data Protection
 » Creative Commons
 » Cyber Crime
 » Indian Information 
Technology Act (IT Act)
 » E-waste: Hazards and 
Management
 » Impact on Health
6.1 Introduct Ion In recent years, the world around us has 
seen a lot of changes due to use of ‘Digital 
Technologies’. These changes have made a 
dramatic impact on our lives, making things 
more convenient, faster, and easier to handle. 
In the past, a letter would take days to reach, 
and every recipient would get his or her own 
copy and respond separately. Today, one can 
send and receive emails to more than one 
person at a time. The instantaneous nature 
of electronic communications has made us 
more efficient and productive.
From the banking industry to aviation, 
industrial production to e-commerce, 
especially with regard to the delivery of their 
“I think computer viruses should 
count as life. I think it says 
something about human nature 
that the only form of life we have 
created so far is purely destructive. 
We’ve created life in our own 
image.”
—  Stephen Hawking
Chapter
 6
Societal Impacts
Chapter 6.indd   167 10/9/2020   12:36:45 PM
2024-25
Informat Ics Pract Ices 168
 
goods and services, all are now dependent on the use 
of computers and digital technologies. Applications 
of digital technologies have redefined and evolved all 
spheres of human activities. Today more and more people 
are using digital technologies through smartphones, 
computers, etc., with the help of high speed Internet. 
Why did the digital technologies become so 
widespread? The introduction of personal computers 
(PCs) and Internet followed by smartphones has brought 
these technologies to the common man. 
While we reap the benefits of digital technologies, 
these technologies can also be misused. Let’s look at 
the impact of these technologies on our society and the 
best practices that can ensure a productive and safe 
digital environment for us. 
6.2 d Ig Ital Footpr Ints Have you ever searched online for any information? 
Have you ever purchased an online ticket, or responded 
to your friend’s email, or checked the score of a 
game online? Whenever we surf the Internet using 
smartphones, tablets, computers, etc., we leave a 
trail of data reflecting the activities performed by us 
online, which is our digital footprint. 
Our digital footprint can be created and used with 
or without our knowledge. It includes websites we 
visit, emails we send, and any information we submit 
online, etc., along with the computer’s IP address, 
location, and other device specific details. Such data 
could be used for targeted advertisement or could 
also be misused or exploited. Thus, it is good to be 
aware of the data trail we might be leaving behind. 
This awareness should make us cautious about what 
we write, upload or download or even browse online.
There are two kinds of digital footprints we leave 
behind. Active digital footprints which includes data 
that we intentionally submit online. This would 
include emails we write, or responses or posts we 
make on different websites or mobile Apps, etc. The 
digital data trail we leave online unintentionally is 
called passive digital footprints. This includes the 
data generated when we visit a website, use a mobile 
App, browse Internet, etc. as shown in Figure 6.1 
Figure 6.1: Exemplar web 
applications that result in 
digital footprints
Chapter 6.indd   168 10/9/2020   12:36:54 PM
2024-25
 Societal i mpact S 169
Everyone who is connected to the Internet may have 
a digital footprint. With more usage, the trail grows. On 
examining the browser settings, we can find out how it 
stores our browsing history, cookies, passwords, auto 
fills, and many other types of data. 
Besides browser, most of our digital footprints are 
stored in servers where the applications are hosted. 
We may not have access to remove or erase that data, 
neither do we have any control on how that data will 
be used. Therefore, once a data trail is generated, even 
if we later try to erase data about our online activities, 
the digital footprints still remain. There is no guarantee 
that digital footprints will be fully eliminated from the 
Internet. Therefore, we need to be more cautious while 
being online! All our online activities leave a data trace 
on the Internet as well as on the computing device that 
we use. This can be used to trace the user, their location, 
device and other usage details.
6.3 d Ig Ital s oc Iety and n et Izen As our society is inclined towards using more and 
more digital technologies, we end up managing most 
of our tasks digitally. In this era of digital society, our 
daily activities like communication, social networking, 
banking, shopping, entertainment, education, 
transportation, etc., are increasingly being driven by 
online transactions. 
Digital society thus reflects the growing trend of 
using digital technologies in all spheres of human 
activities. But while online, all of us need to be aware 
of how to conduct ourselves, how best to relate with 
others and what ethics, morals and values to maintain. 
Anyone who uses digital technology along with Internet 
is a digital citizen or a netizen. Being a good netizen 
means practicing safe, ethical and legal use of digital 
technology. A responsible netizen must abide by 
net etiquettes, communication etiquettes and social 
media etiquettes.
6.3.1 Net Etiquettes
We follow certain etiquettes during our social 
interactions. Similarly, we need to exhibit proper 
manners and etiquettes while being online as shown 
in Figure 6.2. One should be ethical, respectful and 
responsible while surfing the Internet.
Can your digital 
footprints be used to 
judge your attitude 
and work ethics?
Think and Reflect
Activity 6.1
As a digital citizen, list  
various services that 
you avail online.
Chapter 6.indd   169 10/9/2020   12:36:54 PM
2024-25
Informat Ics Pract Ices 170
(A) Be Ethical 
• No copyright violation: we should not 
use copyrighted materials without the 
permission of the creator or owner. As 
an ethical digital citizen, we need to be 
careful while streaming audio or video 
or downloading images and files from 
the Internet. We will learn more about 
copyright in Section 6.4.
• Share the expertise: it is good to share 
information and knowledge on Internet 
so that others can access it. However, 
prior to sharing information, we need to 
be sure that we have sufficient knowledge 
on that topic. The information shared 
should be true and unambiguous. Also, 
in order to avoid redundant information, 
we should verify that the information is 
not available already on Internet.
(B) Be Respectful 
• Respect privacy: as good digital citizens we 
have the right to privacy and the freedom of 
personal expression. At the same time, we have 
to understand that other digital citizens also 
have the same rights and freedoms. Our personal 
communication with a digital citizen may include 
images, documents, files, etc., that are private 
to both. We should respect this privacy and 
should not share those images, documents, files, 
etc., with any other digital citizen without each 
others’ consent.
• Respect diversity: in a group or public forum,  
we should respect the diversity of the people 
in terms of knowledge, experience, culture and  
other aspects.
(C) Be Responsible
• Avoid cyber bullying: any insulting, degrading 
or intimidating online behaviour like repeated 
posting of rumours, giving threats online, 
posting the victim’s personal information, sexual 
harassment or comments aimed to publicly 
ridicule a victim is termed as cyber bullying. 
It implies repeatedly targeting someone with 
Figure 6.2: Net etiquettes
While surfing the 
Internet, we should 
be cautious about 
our personal and 
confidential data.
 v Think before 
sharing credentials 
with others on an 
online platform.
 v Keep personal 
information safe 
and protected 
through 
passwords.
Chapter 6.indd   170 10/9/2020   12:36:54 PM
2024-25
Page 5


In this chapter
 » Introduction
 » Digital Footprints
 » Digital Society and 
Netizen
 » Data Protection
 » Creative Commons
 » Cyber Crime
 » Indian Information 
Technology Act (IT Act)
 » E-waste: Hazards and 
Management
 » Impact on Health
6.1 Introduct Ion In recent years, the world around us has 
seen a lot of changes due to use of ‘Digital 
Technologies’. These changes have made a 
dramatic impact on our lives, making things 
more convenient, faster, and easier to handle. 
In the past, a letter would take days to reach, 
and every recipient would get his or her own 
copy and respond separately. Today, one can 
send and receive emails to more than one 
person at a time. The instantaneous nature 
of electronic communications has made us 
more efficient and productive.
From the banking industry to aviation, 
industrial production to e-commerce, 
especially with regard to the delivery of their 
“I think computer viruses should 
count as life. I think it says 
something about human nature 
that the only form of life we have 
created so far is purely destructive. 
We’ve created life in our own 
image.”
—  Stephen Hawking
Chapter
 6
Societal Impacts
Chapter 6.indd   167 10/9/2020   12:36:45 PM
2024-25
Informat Ics Pract Ices 168
 
goods and services, all are now dependent on the use 
of computers and digital technologies. Applications 
of digital technologies have redefined and evolved all 
spheres of human activities. Today more and more people 
are using digital technologies through smartphones, 
computers, etc., with the help of high speed Internet. 
Why did the digital technologies become so 
widespread? The introduction of personal computers 
(PCs) and Internet followed by smartphones has brought 
these technologies to the common man. 
While we reap the benefits of digital technologies, 
these technologies can also be misused. Let’s look at 
the impact of these technologies on our society and the 
best practices that can ensure a productive and safe 
digital environment for us. 
6.2 d Ig Ital Footpr Ints Have you ever searched online for any information? 
Have you ever purchased an online ticket, or responded 
to your friend’s email, or checked the score of a 
game online? Whenever we surf the Internet using 
smartphones, tablets, computers, etc., we leave a 
trail of data reflecting the activities performed by us 
online, which is our digital footprint. 
Our digital footprint can be created and used with 
or without our knowledge. It includes websites we 
visit, emails we send, and any information we submit 
online, etc., along with the computer’s IP address, 
location, and other device specific details. Such data 
could be used for targeted advertisement or could 
also be misused or exploited. Thus, it is good to be 
aware of the data trail we might be leaving behind. 
This awareness should make us cautious about what 
we write, upload or download or even browse online.
There are two kinds of digital footprints we leave 
behind. Active digital footprints which includes data 
that we intentionally submit online. This would 
include emails we write, or responses or posts we 
make on different websites or mobile Apps, etc. The 
digital data trail we leave online unintentionally is 
called passive digital footprints. This includes the 
data generated when we visit a website, use a mobile 
App, browse Internet, etc. as shown in Figure 6.1 
Figure 6.1: Exemplar web 
applications that result in 
digital footprints
Chapter 6.indd   168 10/9/2020   12:36:54 PM
2024-25
 Societal i mpact S 169
Everyone who is connected to the Internet may have 
a digital footprint. With more usage, the trail grows. On 
examining the browser settings, we can find out how it 
stores our browsing history, cookies, passwords, auto 
fills, and many other types of data. 
Besides browser, most of our digital footprints are 
stored in servers where the applications are hosted. 
We may not have access to remove or erase that data, 
neither do we have any control on how that data will 
be used. Therefore, once a data trail is generated, even 
if we later try to erase data about our online activities, 
the digital footprints still remain. There is no guarantee 
that digital footprints will be fully eliminated from the 
Internet. Therefore, we need to be more cautious while 
being online! All our online activities leave a data trace 
on the Internet as well as on the computing device that 
we use. This can be used to trace the user, their location, 
device and other usage details.
6.3 d Ig Ital s oc Iety and n et Izen As our society is inclined towards using more and 
more digital technologies, we end up managing most 
of our tasks digitally. In this era of digital society, our 
daily activities like communication, social networking, 
banking, shopping, entertainment, education, 
transportation, etc., are increasingly being driven by 
online transactions. 
Digital society thus reflects the growing trend of 
using digital technologies in all spheres of human 
activities. But while online, all of us need to be aware 
of how to conduct ourselves, how best to relate with 
others and what ethics, morals and values to maintain. 
Anyone who uses digital technology along with Internet 
is a digital citizen or a netizen. Being a good netizen 
means practicing safe, ethical and legal use of digital 
technology. A responsible netizen must abide by 
net etiquettes, communication etiquettes and social 
media etiquettes.
6.3.1 Net Etiquettes
We follow certain etiquettes during our social 
interactions. Similarly, we need to exhibit proper 
manners and etiquettes while being online as shown 
in Figure 6.2. One should be ethical, respectful and 
responsible while surfing the Internet.
Can your digital 
footprints be used to 
judge your attitude 
and work ethics?
Think and Reflect
Activity 6.1
As a digital citizen, list  
various services that 
you avail online.
Chapter 6.indd   169 10/9/2020   12:36:54 PM
2024-25
Informat Ics Pract Ices 170
(A) Be Ethical 
• No copyright violation: we should not 
use copyrighted materials without the 
permission of the creator or owner. As 
an ethical digital citizen, we need to be 
careful while streaming audio or video 
or downloading images and files from 
the Internet. We will learn more about 
copyright in Section 6.4.
• Share the expertise: it is good to share 
information and knowledge on Internet 
so that others can access it. However, 
prior to sharing information, we need to 
be sure that we have sufficient knowledge 
on that topic. The information shared 
should be true and unambiguous. Also, 
in order to avoid redundant information, 
we should verify that the information is 
not available already on Internet.
(B) Be Respectful 
• Respect privacy: as good digital citizens we 
have the right to privacy and the freedom of 
personal expression. At the same time, we have 
to understand that other digital citizens also 
have the same rights and freedoms. Our personal 
communication with a digital citizen may include 
images, documents, files, etc., that are private 
to both. We should respect this privacy and 
should not share those images, documents, files, 
etc., with any other digital citizen without each 
others’ consent.
• Respect diversity: in a group or public forum,  
we should respect the diversity of the people 
in terms of knowledge, experience, culture and  
other aspects.
(C) Be Responsible
• Avoid cyber bullying: any insulting, degrading 
or intimidating online behaviour like repeated 
posting of rumours, giving threats online, 
posting the victim’s personal information, sexual 
harassment or comments aimed to publicly 
ridicule a victim is termed as cyber bullying. 
It implies repeatedly targeting someone with 
Figure 6.2: Net etiquettes
While surfing the 
Internet, we should 
be cautious about 
our personal and 
confidential data.
 v Think before 
sharing credentials 
with others on an 
online platform.
 v Keep personal 
information safe 
and protected 
through 
passwords.
Chapter 6.indd   170 10/9/2020   12:36:54 PM
2024-25
 Societal i mpact S 171
intentions to hurt or embarrass. Perhaps new or 
non-frequent users of the Internet feel that things 
done online have no effect in the real world. We 
need to realise that bullying online can have very 
serious implications on the other person (victim). 
Also, remember our actions can be traced back 
using our digital footprints. 
• Don’t feed the troll: an Internet troll is a person 
who deliberately sows discord on the Internet by 
starting quarrels or upsetting people, by posting 
inflammatory or off topic messages in an online 
community, just for amusement. Since trolls thrive 
on attention, the best way to discourage trolls is 
not to pay any attention to their comments.
6.3.2 Communication Etiquettes
Digital communication includes email, texting, instant 
messaging, talking on the cell phone, audio or video 
conferencing, posting on forums, social networking 
sites, etc. All these are great ways to connect with people 
in order to exchange ideas, share data and knowledge. 
Good communication over email, chat room and other 
such forums require a digital citizen to abide by the 
communication etiquettes as shown in Figure 6.3.
Be 
Precise
Respect 
Time  
Respect 
Data
Limits
Be 
Polite
Be 
Credible   
Communication Etiquettes
Figure 6.3: Communication etiquettes
(A) Be Precise
• Respect time: we should not waste precious time 
in responding to unnecessary emails or comments 
Activity 6.2
Find out how to report 
about an abusive or 
inappropriate post or 
about a sender in a 
social network.
Avoid Spam!!
On receiving 
junk email (called 
Spam), neither 
reply nor open any 
attachment in such 
email. 
Chapter 6.indd   171 10/9/2020   12:36:54 PM
2024-25