Name:
DSci529 Final Exam
Spring 2022
This exam is open book and open note. You may use electronic devices to consult materials stored
on the devices, but you may not use them for communication during the 100 minutes in which you
are completing the exam. You have 120 minutes to complete the exam. You must submit the
completed exam through the DEN drop box for the DSci529 mid-term before 140 minutes from the
start of the exam. (the extra 20 minutes is to provide time to logistically upload the exam and you
may not use additional time to complete the answers).
Type your answers in the exam itself using word, or if you prefer a different editor using the text
version of the exam that is provided. The filled out exam document will be what you will return to
me as described above. In answering the questions, please TYPE your answers rather than
importing large quantities of text using cut and paste in hopes that the cut and pasted text might
include an answer. Pasted text in your responses will be ignored and you will not receive
credit for words included in the pasted text.
Be sure to include your name in the exam document. Ideally, please rename the document to a
file name that includes your name (e.g. dsci529-s22-final-FIRSTNAME-LASTNAME).
To judge the amount of time you can spend on each question, consider that you have 120 minutes
and there are 100 points across the questions.
Complete the following statement:
I, (replace with your first and last name) attest to the fact that I
completed this exam within the designated time allocated (e.g. in less than
120 minutes), that I did not have knowledge of the exam or answers in
advance of its start, that I did not access external material (e.g. web sites)
or use the internet during completion of the exam, and that I completed
the exam on my own without accepting or providing assistance to anyone
else.
Signed: (type you name here). Date: 5/6/2022.
REMEMBER: You only have 120 minutes, so make sure you
don’t spend too much time on any question. If the question
is worth 20 points, plan to spend only a little more than 20
minutes on your answer.
1
Name:
1. (20 points) Privacy Regulation
a. GDPR – (20 points)
GDPR provides for six legal bases for processing data. One of these bases is “consent”,
and it is when this basis is used that companies are more likely to get into trouble. Discuss
the reasons that the other bases for processing data are less problematic. Also discuss
some of the uses (processing) of data that can likely only be supported on the basis of
“consent”.
(answer here)
2. (20 points) Data Integrity
a. During the semester we discussed at least two different approaches to ensure integrity of
data. In the first approach, sometimes called data origin authentication, we provided
assurance that the data received was the same data as that sent by an originator. In a
second approach, we provided assurance that once data was accepted, it could not be
changed later. In other words, we were preventing anyone from “rewriting history”. Please
provide a summary of the techniques used for each of the two forms of integrity (i.e. tell me
how to create the statement of integrity and how to verify the integrity). Be sure to name the
approaches that you describe.
(answer here)
3. (15 points) Influence of Social Media
a. Explain how the algorithms used to promote content on social media sites sometimes
result in an alternative and polarizing perception of facts, rather than just opinion? Read the
question carefully and focus on results of the algorithms. What are the algorithms intended
by the social media companies to achieve? What do they select? Might one argue that the
algorithms turn news into propaganda? Why (or why not)?
(answer here)
4. (15 points) Cryptocurrency
a. One benefit of consensus based crypto currencies such as BitCoin is that control of the
currency requires coordination and agreement of greater than half of those managing the
currency. One relies on the belief that no entity (such as a dominant country) will be able to
amass that much control, and this prevents such countries from dictating their will on the
issuance, redemption, or transactions processed in such a currency. But, this lack of
“supervision” brings its own risks. Please explain at least two significant risks in
cryptocurrency that stem from lack of a central coordinator with control over the currency?
(answer here)
5. (15 points) Regulation of Content
a. Discuss at least three different technological approaches to regulation of content on the
internet and in social media. Include at least one approach used by Governments and at
least one approach applied by content platforms (e.g. social media sites). Discuss the
strengths and limitations of each approach (include the possibilities for false positives and
negatives in your discussion of the strengths and limitations). Please note that I am NOT
asking about the appropriateness of polices to be applied in filtering, i.e. I am not concerned
with questions regarding what kinds of content to block, just the effectiveness of the
mechanisms.
(answer here)
(exam continued on next page)
2
Name:
6. (15 points) Mass Surveillance and Social Credit
US companies collect massive data on all of our activities used to target advertising. The UK has a
massive network of security cameras which uses facial recognition and other technology to
apprehend criminals and reduce crime. China is implementing a social credit scoring system to
provide information about the trustworthiness of people and businesses.
Discuss the technical and societal differences between China’s Social Credit Scoring System and
the western tracking, scoring, and surveillance systems just mentioned. What are the advantages,
disadvantages, and consequences of each? Consider these system as they are deployed today,
and also as they could potentially be used or abused in the future. In your discussion, be sure to
consider the consequences of these systems for individuals, the process through which such
consequences might be imposed, recourse to correct errors, and transparency.
There is absolutely no single correct answer to this question. Instead, we want to see the quality of
the “discussion” and whether you touch upon the key points.
(answer here)
3