INs2602 EXAM PACK 2023
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
For assignment help and inquires
Email:
WhatsApp: +254704997747
,46299483 INS2602
Question 1
a) The right of access to information. A person's private information may not be
accessed and used without their permission and that access must be subject to
certain conditions. However, there are certain types of information that the public has
the right to access, for example state-held information. This is important for
upholding the constitutional values of transparency, openness, participation and
accountability (INS1502 Only study guide 2006:201-203). In South Africa, the
Constitution determines that citizens and the media have the right to access public
information. Section 32(1) of the Constitution states that everyone has the right of
access to “any information held by the state”, as well as “any information that is held
by another person and that is required for the exercise or protection of any rights”.
The right of access to information and the protection of privacy are governed by the
Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (also known as PAIA).
b) The right to privacy. The right to privacy means that an individual’s personal
information is protected from public access and scrutiny. It also means that a person
should have control over their personal information and be able to conduct their
personal affairs relatively free from unwanted intrusions. In South Africa, the
Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (also known as the POPI Act)
promotes the protection of personal information by public and private bodies.
Protection of information is one aspect of the right to privacy. It provides for the legal
protection of a person in instances where such a person's personal particulars are
being processed by another person or institution. Processing of information generally
refers to the collecting, storing, using and communicating of information (Van der
Bank 2012:77).
c) The right to intellectual property refers to a legal monopoly over artistic and
commercial creations of the mind – inventions, literary and artistic works and
symbols, names and brand names, images, logos, designs and manuscripts, for
example – for which a set of exclusive rights are recognised” (Geyer 2015:12). But
when you write down your ideas, you are producing information. The information
product (i.e. the written/recorded idea) is your intellectual property and you may be
granted intellectual property rights 204 by law. Intellectual property covers copyright,
3
,46299483 INS2602
patents and trademarks. Intellectual products can be in the form of ideas in
documents, inventions and musical compositions, among others (INS2602 Only
study guide 2007:203-204). Intellectual property has economic value. The creator,
such as the author of a book, receives a certain percentage of the income generated
from the sales of copies of the book. This income is known as ‘royalties (INS2602
Only study guide 2007:204). Intellectual property rights also lead to exclusive rights.
Exclusive rights regulate the reproduction or commercial use of intellectual property.
Exclusive rights can be divided into two categories, namely patents and trademarks,
and copyright (Bothma et al 2017:164).
d) The quality of information is defined by the following criteria:
• Reliability and accuracy. Information should preferably be created and
presented by an expert in the particular field in order to be correct, precise
and accurate (INS1502 Only study guide 2006:14).
• Comprehensiveness: Information should be as complete as possible,
without being too dense (INS1502 Only study guide 2006:14).
• Recency. Information should not be outdated; it should still be valid for the
current need (INS1502 Only study guide 2006:14).
• Comprehensibility. In order to be useful, information has to be
comprehensible to the user – in other words, the user has to understand the
information (INS1502 Only study guide 2006:14).
• Relevance. Information should be relevant/applicable for the particular needs
of the information user. The most accurate, comprehensive, recent,
comprehensible information has no value for the information user if it does not
fulfil his/her information need or solve his/her information problem (INS1502
Only study guide 2006:14).
e) Confidentiality and security. This refers to protecting or securing information
from being accessed by unauthorized parties. Only people who are authorized to do
so can gain access to sensitive information. For example, bank employees who are
assisting you at the bank should access your bank records, but no one else should.
A failure to maintain confidentiality refers to “breach of confidentiality”. It means that
someone who shouldn’t have access has managed to get it, rather intentionally or by
mistake. (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability 2019).
4
, 46299483 INS2602
Question 2
a) It is difficult to measure consequences and happiness. This theory assumes
that the consequences can be measured and it is worked out on a cost-benefit
analysis that can be utilised in situations where there are several possible courses of
action. On the basis of this analysis you can choose the alternative that produces the
greatest net benefits. There is, however, no clear agreement on what constitutes
happiness. Some philosophers, such as Mill, suggest that there is a hierarchy and
that intellectual pleasures are superior to sensual pleasures. Others maintain that
happiness involves many intrinsic values such as friendship, knowledge and
courage. However, a failure to agree on the meaning of happiness poses real
problems for properly evaluating these actions (INS2602 Only study guide 2007:37).
b) There is no agreement on consequences. It is also impossible to find
agreement or objectivity in relation to certain consequences. For example, a car
manufacturer may decide not to install airbags into a new model because this would
push up the costs of manufacture and make the car less competitive. However, this
decision may mean that ten people, who could have been saved if airbags had been
inserted, will die in car accidents. How do you measure the value of a person’s life?
How many years into the future do you need to measure? Do you measure the
number of lives lost over one year or the whole period when the car is on the road?
Deciding where to draw the line can be difficult. Can you think of other situations
where this could be problematic? (INS2602 Only study guide 2007:38).
c) Some benefits cannot be compared. If two goods or benefits are fundamental
and incommensurable (cannot be measured or compared with each other) then it is
meaningless to try and choose between them (INS2602 Only study guide 2007:38).
2
d) Sometimes there are unintentional consequences. Sometimes actions have
unintended consequences, especially when these consequences are not under the
control of the person acting (INS2602 Only study guide 2007:38).
e) The distribution of benefits can be unjust. Utilitarianism ignores the problem of
an unjust distribution of good consequences. For example, if an action results in
every member having 100 units of good whereas another action would result in half
of society having 201 units of good then the second action is considered superior
(the greatest amount of benefit). A response to this criticism is that the goal should
be the greatest amount of good to the greatest number. This is called the principle of
5
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
For assignment help and inquires
Email:
WhatsApp: +254704997747
,46299483 INS2602
Question 1
a) The right of access to information. A person's private information may not be
accessed and used without their permission and that access must be subject to
certain conditions. However, there are certain types of information that the public has
the right to access, for example state-held information. This is important for
upholding the constitutional values of transparency, openness, participation and
accountability (INS1502 Only study guide 2006:201-203). In South Africa, the
Constitution determines that citizens and the media have the right to access public
information. Section 32(1) of the Constitution states that everyone has the right of
access to “any information held by the state”, as well as “any information that is held
by another person and that is required for the exercise or protection of any rights”.
The right of access to information and the protection of privacy are governed by the
Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (also known as PAIA).
b) The right to privacy. The right to privacy means that an individual’s personal
information is protected from public access and scrutiny. It also means that a person
should have control over their personal information and be able to conduct their
personal affairs relatively free from unwanted intrusions. In South Africa, the
Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (also known as the POPI Act)
promotes the protection of personal information by public and private bodies.
Protection of information is one aspect of the right to privacy. It provides for the legal
protection of a person in instances where such a person's personal particulars are
being processed by another person or institution. Processing of information generally
refers to the collecting, storing, using and communicating of information (Van der
Bank 2012:77).
c) The right to intellectual property refers to a legal monopoly over artistic and
commercial creations of the mind – inventions, literary and artistic works and
symbols, names and brand names, images, logos, designs and manuscripts, for
example – for which a set of exclusive rights are recognised” (Geyer 2015:12). But
when you write down your ideas, you are producing information. The information
product (i.e. the written/recorded idea) is your intellectual property and you may be
granted intellectual property rights 204 by law. Intellectual property covers copyright,
3
,46299483 INS2602
patents and trademarks. Intellectual products can be in the form of ideas in
documents, inventions and musical compositions, among others (INS2602 Only
study guide 2007:203-204). Intellectual property has economic value. The creator,
such as the author of a book, receives a certain percentage of the income generated
from the sales of copies of the book. This income is known as ‘royalties (INS2602
Only study guide 2007:204). Intellectual property rights also lead to exclusive rights.
Exclusive rights regulate the reproduction or commercial use of intellectual property.
Exclusive rights can be divided into two categories, namely patents and trademarks,
and copyright (Bothma et al 2017:164).
d) The quality of information is defined by the following criteria:
• Reliability and accuracy. Information should preferably be created and
presented by an expert in the particular field in order to be correct, precise
and accurate (INS1502 Only study guide 2006:14).
• Comprehensiveness: Information should be as complete as possible,
without being too dense (INS1502 Only study guide 2006:14).
• Recency. Information should not be outdated; it should still be valid for the
current need (INS1502 Only study guide 2006:14).
• Comprehensibility. In order to be useful, information has to be
comprehensible to the user – in other words, the user has to understand the
information (INS1502 Only study guide 2006:14).
• Relevance. Information should be relevant/applicable for the particular needs
of the information user. The most accurate, comprehensive, recent,
comprehensible information has no value for the information user if it does not
fulfil his/her information need or solve his/her information problem (INS1502
Only study guide 2006:14).
e) Confidentiality and security. This refers to protecting or securing information
from being accessed by unauthorized parties. Only people who are authorized to do
so can gain access to sensitive information. For example, bank employees who are
assisting you at the bank should access your bank records, but no one else should.
A failure to maintain confidentiality refers to “breach of confidentiality”. It means that
someone who shouldn’t have access has managed to get it, rather intentionally or by
mistake. (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability 2019).
4
, 46299483 INS2602
Question 2
a) It is difficult to measure consequences and happiness. This theory assumes
that the consequences can be measured and it is worked out on a cost-benefit
analysis that can be utilised in situations where there are several possible courses of
action. On the basis of this analysis you can choose the alternative that produces the
greatest net benefits. There is, however, no clear agreement on what constitutes
happiness. Some philosophers, such as Mill, suggest that there is a hierarchy and
that intellectual pleasures are superior to sensual pleasures. Others maintain that
happiness involves many intrinsic values such as friendship, knowledge and
courage. However, a failure to agree on the meaning of happiness poses real
problems for properly evaluating these actions (INS2602 Only study guide 2007:37).
b) There is no agreement on consequences. It is also impossible to find
agreement or objectivity in relation to certain consequences. For example, a car
manufacturer may decide not to install airbags into a new model because this would
push up the costs of manufacture and make the car less competitive. However, this
decision may mean that ten people, who could have been saved if airbags had been
inserted, will die in car accidents. How do you measure the value of a person’s life?
How many years into the future do you need to measure? Do you measure the
number of lives lost over one year or the whole period when the car is on the road?
Deciding where to draw the line can be difficult. Can you think of other situations
where this could be problematic? (INS2602 Only study guide 2007:38).
c) Some benefits cannot be compared. If two goods or benefits are fundamental
and incommensurable (cannot be measured or compared with each other) then it is
meaningless to try and choose between them (INS2602 Only study guide 2007:38).
2
d) Sometimes there are unintentional consequences. Sometimes actions have
unintended consequences, especially when these consequences are not under the
control of the person acting (INS2602 Only study guide 2007:38).
e) The distribution of benefits can be unjust. Utilitarianism ignores the problem of
an unjust distribution of good consequences. For example, if an action results in
every member having 100 units of good whereas another action would result in half
of society having 201 units of good then the second action is considered superior
(the greatest amount of benefit). A response to this criticism is that the goal should
be the greatest amount of good to the greatest number. This is called the principle of
5
