Joy English
Joy English

C1 Vocabulary

C1Technology and society20 min

Technology, data and ethics

Learn words such as ubiquitous, surveillance, anonymise, accountability and transparency to discuss digital technology and its ethical questions.

Debates about artificial intelligence, personal data and online platforms are now part of everyday news. Writers use a particular set of words to talk about how technology affects privacy, fairness and responsibility. Learning them will help you understand articles on these topics and express balanced views about benefits and risks.

ubiquitousadjective
seeming to be present everywhereSmartphones have become so ubiquitous that many people feel anxious without one.
proliferateverb
increase quickly in number or spread widelyLow-quality videos tend to proliferate whenever a topic becomes popular.
surveillancenoun
close observation of people or places, especially by cameras or electronic meansConstant surveillance in public places has changed how people behave.
anonymiseverb
remove details from data so that individuals cannot be identifiedResearchers must anonymise the records before sharing them.
informed consentnoun
permission given after fully understanding what you are agreeing toParticipants cannot join the trial without informed consent.
accountabilitynoun
the responsibility to explain and justify your actions or decisionsWithout clear accountability, nobody takes responsibility when automated tools fail.
transparencynoun
openness about how decisions are made and how things workGreater transparency would help the public trust the system.
safeguardverb
protect something from harm or lossStrong laws are needed to safeguard personal data from misuse.
intrusiveadjective
interfering in a way that is not wanted, especially in private lifeMany users find targeted pop-up messages intrusive.
data breachnoun
an incident in which private information is accessed or released without permissionA data breach exposed the addresses of thousands of customers.
algorithmic biasnoun
unfair results produced by a computer system because of flaws in its data or designCritics say the system shows algorithmic bias against some applicants.
harnessverb
control and use something, especially a natural or technical powerEngineers hope to harness machine learning to detect diseases earlier.

Exercise 1 of 2

Choose the best option

Choose the word or phrase that completes each sentence.

  1. Smartphones have become so _____ that many people feel anxious without one.

  2. Fake accounts began to _____ across the platform within a few weeks.

  3. Before using the images in the study, researchers must _____ them so that no one can be identified.

  4. Patients must give _____ before their data are used: they need to understand exactly what they are agreeing to.

  5. The company apologised after a _____ exposed the addresses of thousands of customers.

  6. What does accountability mean?

  7. The app was criticised as _____ because it tracked users' locations even when it was closed.

  8. Engineers hope to _____ the power of machine learning to detect diseases earlier.

0 of 8 answered

Exercise 2 of 2

Complete the sentence

Type the word that completes each sentence. Use each word once: accountability, bias, informed, intrusive, proliferate, safeguard, surveillance, transparency.

  1. Critics say the system shows against applicants from certain postcodes.

  2. Greater about how decisions are made would help the public trust the system.

  3. Constant in public places, through cameras and sensors, has changed how people behave.

  4. Strong laws are needed to personal data from misuse.

  5. Without clear , nobody takes responsibility when automated tools make serious errors.

  6. Many users find targeted pop-up messages and switch them off.

  7. Low-quality videos tend to whenever a topic becomes popular.

  8. Participants cannot join the trial until they have given consent, having read about all the risks.

0 of 8 answered

Source

Original lesson by Joy English.

Levels are suggestions. Found a mistake? Tell us through the Contact page.