11 Online Services

1 Which one of these is not provided by banks as an online service? (1)

A Paying in cheques

B Transferring money 

C Viewing an account's balance

D Applying for a loan

A Paying in cheques

2 State two ways in which education providers can use online services to help learners. (2)

a) By using virtual learning environments (VLEs) such as Pearson Active Teach, Google Classroom, Moodle etc. education providers can use online services to help learners.

b) Education providers can also use libraries of online journals and reference archives to help learners.

3 State three features of shopping sites. (3)

a) Product catalogue: Shopping sites provide a product catalogue with detailed information, allowing users to explore and choose products based on their preferences.

b) Basket: It allows users to gather multiple products in one place, making adjustments, and review their selections before proceeding to checkout.

c) Payment and Checkout: Shopping sites offer secure payment options and a streamlined checkout process, including entering shipping details, selecting shipping methods, and confirming the order.

4 Explain why auction sites provide ratings for buyers. (3)

Auction sites provide ratings for buyers to establish a trust and reputation system, allowing sellers to make informed decisions and identify reliable buyers. These ratings promote transparency, accountability, and help mitigate risks associated with fraudulent or unreliable buyers in the marketplace.

5 Explain why banks use HTTPS for their online services. (3)

HTTPS is an extension of the HTTP. It is used for secure communication over a computer network. In HTTPS, the communication protocol is encrypted using Transport Layer Security (TLS) which stops data, such as people's financial information, being read by unauthorized users. That's why, banks use HTTPS for their online services.

6 Explain the benefit of e-ticketing for airline flights. (2)

E-ticketing for airline flights offers benefits such as convenience, cost-effectiveness, flexibility, security, efficiency, and environmental sustainability.

7 State one drawback of the use of third-party cookies. (1)

The use of third-party cookies affects users' privacy.

8 State three examples of data that can stored in cookies. (3)

a) the time and date of the transaction

b) the products or services or the categories of products and services that a user has previously viewed or bought

c) items added to the user's online shopping basket

9 State the difference between session cookies and persistent cookies. (1)

Session cookies only stored until a web page is closed in the browser whereas persistent cookies used to record information about the user's use of the internet over time.

10 State the way in which news services can use a feature of smartphone apps to keep users up to date. (1)

Notifications or alerts can be used to keep users up to date.

11 Discuss how the use of cookies by organizations impacts on individuals. (8)

Cookies are small text files that are stored on a user's computer or mobile device when they visit a website. They are used to track user behaviour and preferences, and are often used by organizations for marketing and analytics purposes. While cookies can have some benefits for both organizations and individuals, their use can also have an impact of individuals' privacy and online experiences.

One impact of cookies is that they can be used to track a user's behaviour across multiple websites. This can allow organizations to create detailed profiles of users, including their interests, browsing history, and demographic information. While this can be used to provide personalized experiences and targeted advertising, it can also be seen as an invasion of privacy, as users may not be aware that their information is being collected or shared.

Another impact of cookies is that they can be used to store personal information, such as login details and payment information. While this can be convenient for users, it also poses a security risk, as this information can potentially be accessed by hacker or other malicious actors.

Additionally, the use of cookies can impact individuals' online experiences by slowing down website loading times and affecting browser performance. This can be particularly problematic for users with slow internet connections or older devices.

To mitigate the impact of cookies on individuals, organizations can provide clear information about their use of cookies and obtain explicit consent from users before collecting any personal information. Users can also take steps to limit the use of cookies by clearing their browser cache regularly and adjusting their browser settings to block cookies from certain websites.

Overall, while cookies can provide some benefits for both organizations and individuals, their use can also have an impact on privacy, security, and online experiences. It is important for organizations and individuals to be aware of these impacts and take steps to mitigate any negative effects.