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Chapter 11 of 11
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Societal Impact — NCERT Solutions

CBSE · Class 11 · Computer Science

NCERT Solutions for Societal Impact, CBSE Class 11 Computer Science: 21 textbook questions solved step by step.

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Exercise — Societal Impact (Chapter 11)

1After practicals, Atharv left the computer laboratory but forgot to sign off from his email account. Later, his classmate Revaan started using the same computer. He is now logged in as Atharv. He sends inflammatory email messages to few of his classmates using Atharv's email account. Revaan's activity is an example of which of the following cyber crime? Justify your answer.
a) Hacking
b) Identity theft
c) Cyber bullying
d) Plagiarism
Show solution

Correct Answer: (b) Identity theft

Justification:

  • Identity theft means using someone else's personal information (such as login credentials, email account, etc.) without their permission to impersonate them or carry out activities in their name.
  • Revaan did not hack into Atharv's account by breaking any password or security system. He simply found the account already logged in and used it to send emails as if he were Atharv.
  • By sending emails from Atharv's account, Revaan is pretending to be Atharv — this is a classic case of identity theft.
  • It is not hacking (no security was broken), not plagiarism (no copying of content), and although the emails are inflammatory, the primary crime here is impersonating Atharv, i.e., identity theft.

Conclusion: Revaan's activity is an example of Identity Theft because he used Atharv's identity (email account) without authorisation to send messages, thereby misrepresenting himself as Atharv.

2Rishika found a crumpled paper under her desk. She picked it up and opened it. It contained some text which was struck off thrice. But she could still figure out easily that the struck off text was the email ID and password of Garvit, her classmate. What is ethically correct for Rishika to do?
a) Inform Garvit so that he may change his password.
b) Give the password of Garvit's email ID to all other classmates.
c) Use Garvit's password to access his account.
Show solution

Correct Answer: (a) Inform Garvit so that he may change his password.

Justification:

  • Option (b) — Sharing Garvit's password with other classmates would be a serious breach of privacy and could lead to misuse of his account. This is ethically and legally wrong.
  • Option (c) — Using Garvit's password to access his account without his permission is identity theft and a cyber crime under the IT Act, 2000. This is completely unethical.
  • Option (a) — The ethically correct action is to inform Garvit about the situation so that he can immediately change his password and secure his account. This respects Garvit's privacy and helps protect him from potential misuse.

Conclusion: Rishika should inform Garvit about the found paper so he can change his password. This is the most ethical course of action as it protects Garvit's privacy and prevents any possible misuse of his credentials.

3Shaurya downloaded a 2-minute clip from the Internet explaining the concept of tuples in Python. Using a video editor, he added the text 'Prepared by Shaurya' in the downloaded video clip. Then, he emailed the modified video clip to Suhana. This act of Shaurya is an example of:
a) Fair use
b) Hacking
c) Copyright infringement
d) Cyber crime
Show solution

Correct Answer: (c) Copyright infringement

Justification:

  • The video clip downloaded from the Internet is the intellectual property of its original creator and is protected by copyright.
  • Shaurya not only used the copyrighted video without the creator's permission but also modified it by adding his own name ('Prepared by Shaurya'), falsely claiming authorship.
  • This act of using, modifying, and distributing someone else's copyrighted work without permission is called copyright infringement.
  • It is not 'fair use' because fair use typically applies to limited, non-commercial, educational use with proper attribution — here Shaurya falsely claimed the work as his own.
  • It is not hacking as no system was broken into.

Conclusion: Shaurya's act is Copyright Infringement because he used and modified a copyrighted video without the original creator's permission and falsely attributed it to himself.

4After a fight with your friend, you did the following activities. Which of these activities is NOT an example of cyber bullying?
a) You sent an email to your friend with a message saying 'I am sorry'.
b) You sent a threatening message to your friend saying 'Do not try to call or talk to me'.
c) You created an embarrassing picture of your friend and uploaded it on your account on a social networking site.
Show solution

Correct Answer: (a) You sent an email to your friend with a message saying 'I am sorry'.

Justification:

  • Cyber bullying involves using digital technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or harm another person.
  • Option (b) — Sending a threatening message ('Do not try to call or talk to me') is a form of cyber bullying as it involves intimidation.
  • Option (c) — Creating an embarrassing picture of a friend and uploading it on a social networking site is cyber bullying as it is meant to humiliate and harm the friend's reputation.
  • Option (a) — Sending an email saying 'I am sorry' is a polite, reconciliatory message. It does not involve any harassment, threat, or embarrassment. It is a positive and respectful form of digital communication.

Conclusion: Option (a) is NOT an example of cyber bullying. It is a courteous apology and a healthy form of communication.

5Sourabh has to prepare a project on 'Digital India Initiatives'. He downloads three web pages. Which of the following steps is an example of plagiarism or copyright infringement?
a) He read a paragraph from webpage 1 and rephrased it in his own words and pasted the rephrased paragraph in his project.
b) He downloaded three images of 'Digital India Initiatives' from webpage 2 and made a collage for his project.
c) He downloaded 'Digital India Initiative' icon from webpage 3 and pasted it on the front page of his project report.
Show solution

Answer:

(a) — NOT plagiarism / copyright infringement:
Sourabh read the paragraph and rephrased it in his own words. This is acceptable practice (paraphrasing). As long as he credits the source, this does not constitute plagiarism or copyright infringement.

(b) — Example of Copyright Infringement:
Downloading images from a website and using them in a project (collage) without the permission of the original creator or without checking whether the images are in the public domain is copyright infringement. Images on websites are generally protected by copyright. Using them without attribution or permission violates the creator's intellectual property rights.

(c) — Example of Copyright Infringement:
The 'Digital India Initiative' icon is a trademarked/copyrighted symbol. Downloading it and pasting it on the front page of a project report without permission is copyright (and possibly trademark) infringement.

Conclusion: Options (b) and (c) are examples of copyright infringement because Sourabh used copyrighted images and icons without the permission of the original creators or without verifying their licensing terms.

6Match the following:
Column A: Plagiarism, Hacking, Credit card fraud, Digital Foot Print
Column B: Fakers, by offering special rewards or money prize asked for personal information such as bank account information | Copy and paste information from the Internet into your report and then organise it | The trail that is created when a person uses the Internet | Breaking into computers to read private emails and other files
Show solution

Correct Matching:

Column AColumn B
PlagiarismCopy and paste information from the Internet into your report and then organise it
HackingBreaking into computers to read private emails and other files
Credit card fraudFakers, by offering special rewards or money prize asked for personal information, such as bank account information
Digital Foot PrintThe trail that is created when a person uses the Internet

Brief Explanation:

  • Plagiarism: Copying content from the Internet and presenting it as one's own without giving credit is plagiarism.
  • Hacking: Unauthorised access to computers to read private data is hacking.
  • Credit card fraud: Fraudsters trick people into revealing bank/card details by offering fake rewards — this is credit card fraud (also a form of phishing).
  • Digital Footprint: Every time a person uses the Internet, a trail of data is left behind, known as a digital footprint.
7You got an SMS from your bank querying a recent transaction.
a) Will you SMS your pin number to the given contact number?
b) Will you call the bank helpline number to recheck the validity of the SMS received?
Show solution

(a) Will you SMS your PIN number to the given contact number?

No, you should NOT SMS your PIN number to the given contact number.

Reason:

  • Banks and legitimate financial institutions never ask for your PIN, password, or sensitive account details via SMS, email, or phone calls.
  • Such messages asking for personal/financial information are typically phishing attempts — a type of cyber crime where fraudsters impersonate banks to steal sensitive information.
  • Sharing your PIN could lead to credit card fraud, identity theft, and financial loss.

(b) Will you call the bank helpline number to recheck the validity of the SMS received?

Yes, you should call the official bank helpline number to verify the SMS.

Reason:

  • It is always advisable to verify the authenticity of any such message by calling the official helpline number printed on the back of your bank card or on the bank's official website.
  • Do NOT call any number mentioned in the suspicious SMS itself, as it may be a fraudster's number.
  • This step helps you confirm whether the SMS is genuine or a phishing/fraud attempt, thereby protecting your financial information.
8Preeti uploaded birthday images on a social networking site. After a fight with Himanshu, she deleted the images. Later, Himanshu forwarded one of the deleted images to their common friend Gayatri.
a) How could Himanshu access an image which Preeti had already deleted?
b) Can anybody else also access these deleted images?
c) Had these images not been deleted from Preeti's digital footprint?
Show solution

(a) How could Himanshu access an image which Preeti had already deleted?

Himanshu could access the image because he had already saved/downloaded the image on his device before Preeti deleted it from the social networking site. Once an image is uploaded on the Internet and someone downloads or saves it, deleting it from your own account does not remove it from the other person's device. Himanshu had a copy of the image stored locally on his phone or computer.

(b) Can anybody else also access these deleted images?

Yes, anybody who had saved, downloaded, or taken a screenshot of the images before Preeti deleted them can still access those images. Moreover:

  • Social networking sites may retain copies of deleted content on their servers for some time even after deletion.
  • Anyone who had shared or forwarded the image before deletion would still have access to it.
  • This illustrates the concept of digital footprint — once data is shared online, it is very difficult to completely erase it.

(c) Had these images not been deleted from Preeti's digital footprint?

No, the images had NOT been completely deleted from Preeti's digital footprint.

Justification:

  • A digital footprint is the trail of data left behind when someone uses the Internet. Once Preeti uploaded the images, they became part of her digital footprint.
  • Deleting images from a social networking site only removes them from Preeti's profile/account view, but:
  • Copies may still exist on the social networking site's servers.
  • Anyone who downloaded, saved, or shared the images still has access to them (as seen with Himanshu).
  • Therefore, the images were not fully erased from her digital footprint. This highlights the importance of being careful about what we share online, as digital data is very hard to completely remove once shared.
9An email was mass distributed to all Class XI Computer Science students claiming that their WiFi password was about to expire and instructing them to go to a URL to renew their password within 24 hours.
a) Do you find any discrepancy in this email?
b) What will happen if the student clicks on the given URL?
c) Is the email an example of cyber crime? If yes, then specify which type of cyber crime it is. Justify your answer.
Show solution

(Note: The actual email image is not visible in the OCR. The solution is based on the description provided in the question and standard phishing email characteristics.)

(a) Discrepancies in the email:

Yes, there are discrepancies in the email. Typical discrepancies in such phishing emails include:

  • The URL provided in the email is different from the registered official URL of the school WiFi network (schoolwifi.edu). The fake URL may look similar but will have slight differences (e.g., schoolwifi.com instead of schoolwifi.edu, or extra characters).
  • The email creates a sense of urgency ('renew within 24 hours') to pressure students into acting quickly without thinking.
  • Legitimate network administrators generally do not ask users to renew passwords via email links.
  • The email may have grammatical errors or an unofficial sender address.
  • The date mentioned (17 September 2017) and the urgency are classic phishing tactics.

(b) What will happen if the student clicks on the given URL?

If a student clicks on the given URL:

  • They will be directed to a fake/fraudulent website that looks similar to the official school WiFi login page.
  • When the student enters their username and password on this fake page, the credentials will be stolen by the attacker.
  • The attacker can then use these credentials to access the school's WiFi network or misuse the student's account.
  • The student's device may also get infected with malware or spyware upon clicking the link.

(c) Is the email an example of cyber crime?

Yes, this email is an example of a cyber crime. It is specifically an example of Phishing.

Justification:

  • Phishing is a type of cyber crime in which fraudsters send fake emails or messages that appear to come from legitimate sources (such as a bank, school, or service provider) to trick users into revealing sensitive information like passwords, usernames, or financial details.
  • In this case, the email pretends to be from the school's network security staff and asks students to click on a fraudulent URL and enter their password.
  • This is a textbook example of phishing — the attacker is 'fishing' for the students' login credentials by disguising the attack as an official communication.
  • Under the IT Act, 2000 (amended 2008), such fraudulent activities are punishable offences.
10You are planning to go for a vacation. You surfed the Internet to get answers for the following queries:
a) Weather conditions
b) Availability of air tickets and fares
c) Places to visit
d) Best hotel deals
Which of your above mentioned actions might have created a digital footprint?
Show solution

All four actions create a digital footprint. Here is the analysis:

(a) Weather conditions:
Searching for weather conditions on a search engine or weather website creates a passive digital footprint. The website records your IP address, location data, and search query. This data may be used to show you targeted advertisements related to travel.

(b) Availability of air tickets and fares:
This creates a significant digital footprint (both active and passive). When you search for air tickets:

  • Search engines record your queries.
  • Airline/travel websites track your searches, and if you log in or fill in any form, it becomes an active digital footprint.
  • Your browsing data may be used to show you personalised ads for flights.
  • If you book a ticket, your personal and financial information is stored.

(c) Places to visit:
Searching for tourist places creates a passive digital footprint. Websites and search engines record your interests and browsing history.

(d) Best hotel deals:
This creates a significant digital footprint. Hotel booking websites track your searches. If you log in, fill in personal details, or make a booking, it becomes an active digital footprint with personal and financial data stored.

Conclusion:
All four activities create a digital footprint. Activities (b) and (d) create the most significant footprints, especially if personal or financial information is entered. Even simple searches (a) and (c) leave passive footprints through cookies, IP address tracking, and browsing history.

11How would you recognise if one of your friends is being cyber bullied?
a) Cite the online activities which would help you detect that your friend is being cyber bullied.
b) What provisions are in IT Act 2000 (amended in 2008) to combat such situations?
Show solution

(a) Online activities that help detect cyber bullying:

You can recognise that your friend is being cyber bullied if you observe the following signs and activities:

  1. Receiving threatening or abusive messages on social media, email, or messaging apps.
  2. Embarrassing photos or videos of your friend being posted or shared online without their consent.
  3. Fake profiles or accounts created in your friend's name to spread false or humiliating information.
  4. Exclusion from online groups — your friend is deliberately left out of group chats or online communities.
  5. Rumours or false information being spread about your friend on social media platforms.
  6. Repeated negative or hateful comments on your friend's posts or photos.
  7. Your friend suddenly becomes withdrawn, anxious, or upset after using their phone or computer — a behavioural sign that often accompanies cyber bullying.
  8. Your friend avoids using the Internet or social media despite previously being active online.
  9. Trolling — your friend's posts are repeatedly targeted with negative, mocking, or offensive comments.

(b) Provisions in IT Act 2000 (amended 2008) to combat cyber bullying:

  • Section 66A (though struck down by Supreme Court in 2015, it was originally meant to address): Sending offensive or menacing messages through communication services was punishable.
  • Section 66C: Deals with identity theft — if a bully creates a fake profile using someone's identity, this section applies. Punishment: imprisonment up to 3 years and fine up to ₹1 lakh.
  • Section 66E: Protects privacy — capturing, publishing, or transmitting images of a person's private parts without consent is punishable with imprisonment up to 3 years or fine up to ₹2 lakh.
  • Section 67: Deals with publishing obscene material in electronic form. Punishment: imprisonment up to 3 years and fine up to ₹5 lakh on first conviction.
  • Section 67A: Deals with publishing sexually explicit material electronically. Punishment: imprisonment up to 5 years and fine up to ₹10 lakh on first conviction.
  • Section 72: Breach of confidentiality and privacy — punishment: imprisonment up to 2 years or fine up to ₹1 lakh or both.
12Write the differences between the following:
a) Copyrights and Patents
b) Plagiarism and Copyright infringement
c) Non-ethical hacking and Ethical hacking
d) Active and Passive footprints
e) Free software and Free and Open Source Software

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13If you plan to use a short text from an article on the web, what steps must you take in order to credit the sources used?

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14When you search online for pictures, how will you find pictures that are available in the free public domain? How can those pictures be used in your project without copyright violations?

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15Describe why it is important to secure your wireless router at home. Search the Internet to find the rules to create a reasonably secure password. Create an imaginary password for your home router. Will you share your password for home router with the following people? Justify your answer.
a) Parents
b) Friends
c) Neighbours
d) Home Tutors

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16List down the steps you need to take in order to ensure:
a) your computer is in good working condition for a longer time.
b) smart and safe Internet surfing.

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17What is data privacy? Websites that you visit collect what type of information about you?

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18In the computer science class, Sunil and Jagdish were assigned the following task by their teacher.
a) Sunil was asked to find information about 'India, a Nuclear power'. He was asked to use Google Chrome browser and prepare his report using Google Docs.
b) Jagdish was asked to find information about 'Digital India'. He was asked to use Mozilla Firefox browser and prepare his report using Libre Office Writer.
What is the difference between technologies used by Sunil and Jagdish?

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19Cite examples depicting that you were a victim of the following cyber crime. Also, cite provisions in IT Act to deal with such a cyber crime.
a) Identity theft
b) Credit card account theft

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20Neerja is a student of Class XI. She has opted for Computer Science. Neerja prepared the project assigned to her. She mailed it to her teacher. Find out which of the following email etiquettes are missing in it. Justify your answer.
a) Subject of the mail
b) Formal greeting
c) Self-explanatory terms
d) Identity of the sender
e) Regards

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21Sumit got good marks in all the subjects. His father gifted him a laptop. He would like to make Sumit aware of health hazards associated with inappropriate and excessive use of laptop. Help his father to list the points which he should discuss with Sumit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in Societal Impact for CBSE Class 11 Computer Science?
Key topics in Societal Impact include Digital Footprints, Digital Society, Netizen, and Etiquettes, Data Protection and Intellectual Property Rights, Cyber Crime. Study these first, then practise questions on each for Class 11 exams.
Are these NCERT Solutions for Societal Impact free?
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How should I revise Societal Impact for Class 11 exams?
Learn the core ideas first, then work through the 57 practice questions on Societal Impact. Revise definitions regularly and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.

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