42 of the Digital Society glossary’s terms, each with the part of the syllabus where you first meet it.
The characteristics, roles, group memberships and records by which a person, group or organisation is recognised, both by itself and by others. It works at personal, group and institutional levels and changes over time and with context.
The fraudulent use of another person's personal information, such as their name, identity documents or bank details, to obtain money, goods or services in their name.
The process of confirming that a person is who they claim to be, by checking their claimed identity against trusted evidence such as an official document, a database record or a biometric sample.
Digital media that create a sense of being inside or interacting with a digital environment, through technologies such as augmented, virtual and mixed reality.
An effect or outcome related to a digital system, positive or negative, intended or unintended. Impacts describe what has happened or is happening.
A device placed inside the body, partly or completely, to replace, support or monitor a biological function or to add a new one, such as a pacemaker, a cochlear implant or a microchip.
An opportunity or risk associated with a digital system, often concerning what may follow for people and communities in the future. Implications overlap with and inform impacts.
A small improvement to an existing product, service or process, such as adding SMS reminders to an existing vaccination programme.
An automatically controlled, reprogrammable machine, usually a jointed arm, used in manufacturing for tasks such as welding, painting, assembly and packaging.
The uneven distribution of income, wealth, opportunities or outcomes, such as health or education, between individuals, groups or countries.
A person who uses a large or highly engaged online following to affect the opinions, behaviour or purchases of that audience, often in return for payment from brands.
A visual presentation that combines charts, images, icons and brief text to communicate information or a message quickly to a broad audience.
Learning that happens through everyday activities, conversations and media use, without a set curriculum, teacher or qualification.
Data that has been organised, processed and given context so that it has meaning for a person or a system.
A period in which the production, processing and distribution of information becomes the main source of economic value and social change; one of several names for digital society.
Agreement to the collection and use of one's data, given freely by a person who understands what data will be collected, how it will be used and who it will be shared with.
The process of turning a new idea into a product, service or method that people actually use; an invention becomes an innovation only when it is adopted.
An evaluation criterion that asks whether an intervention's approach is new or has been tried before without success, and whether it is an incremental, sustaining or disruptive innovation.
The data an algorithm starts with, which must be clearly defined, including what happens if the data is missing or invalid.
Hardware that sends data or commands into a computer, such as a keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, microphone or camera.
A simple model of a system in which inputs enter the system, processes inside it transform them, and outputs leave it.
A sustained, iterative and often collaborative process of asking questions, exploring sources and investigating evidence through which learners build and reflect on their own understanding. In digital society it moves through the stages focus, explore, investigate, and reflect and share.
Moving work to a lower-cost region of a firm's home country instead of abroad. The term is also used for work that foreign firms bring into a country.
Bringing work that had been outsourced to another company back inside the firm, to be done by its own staff.
A single step in an algorithm that tells the computer to do one thing, such as store a value, compare two numbers or display a message.
A set of electronic components, mainly transistors, made together on one small chip of semiconductor material such as silicon. First built by Jack Kilby (1958) and Robert Noyce (1959).
The extent to which users can act on a medium and change what it shows or does, for example by clicking, choosing, commenting, creating or playing, rather than only receiving it.
A type of intervention that steps into a process or trend contributing to the negative aspects of a challenge and changes it, such as a law that changes how platforms classify their workers.
A relationship in which elements of a system rely on one another to function, so that a change or failure in one affects the others.
An attitude of openness to and curiosity about other cultures, languages and perspectives, combined with a sense of responsibility towards people beyond one's own community and country.
The global network of interconnected networks that use the TCP/IP protocols to exchange data between devices.
The very high-capacity fibre-optic links and core routers, owned by major telecommunications companies, that connect the world's large networks and carry most long-distance internet traffic.
A person who becomes famous mainly through online platforms, such as video sites, social media or livestreaming services, rather than through traditional media such as television or film.
A physical location where different networks connect directly to exchange traffic, keeping local traffic local and reducing cost and delay.
The network of everyday physical objects, such as appliances, vehicles, wearables and sensors, that are connected to the internet and collect and exchange data, often without direct human involvement.
An organisation that provides people and organisations with access to the internet, usually for a fee, through fixed or mobile networks.
An intentional disruption of internet or mobile data services by a government or on its orders, making them unavailable or unusable for a specific population or area, usually to control the flow of information.
The ability of different devices, systems and applications, often made by different organisations, to exchange data and use it correctly.
A program that translates and executes source code one statement at a time, every time the program runs.
The idea that aspects of a person's identity, such as gender, race, class, religion and sexuality, combine and interact, creating specific experiences of privilege or discrimination that cannot be understood by looking at any one aspect alone.
An innovation that attempts to mitigate, intercede in, enhance or resolve an aspect of a challenge and involves digital systems in some way. It can be a device, app or platform, but also a policy, law or rule change that concerns digital systems.
A numerical label that identifies a device on a network using the Internet Protocol, so that packets can be delivered to it; IPv4 addresses are 32 bits long and IPv6 addresses 128 bits.