OCR J277 Unit 1.6 Impacts

Lesson 4: CDPA & Licences

"Mastering software laws and choosing the right licence for your code."

Lesson Progress

0/7
01 Retrieval

DO NOW: The Cyber Crimes

Match the legislation to its core purpose.

1 DPA 2018
2 CMA 1990
3 Data Subject
A. Protecting personal data and privacy of individuals.
B. Stopping unauthorised access and hacking of systems.
C. The individual whose data is being stored and processed.
02 Objective

Learning Objective

To master software laws and choose the right licence for your code.

03 Vocabulary

Core Terminology

CDPA 1988

Intellectual Property Expand Card

CDPA: Definition

The law that protects creative work like code, music, and art.

CDPA: Examples

  • Protecting source code from theft.
  • Stopping illegal movie downloads.
Click to close

Proprietary

Closed Source Expand Card

Proprietary: Definition

Software where the source code is kept secret by the owner.

Proprietary: Examples

  • Microsoft Windows / Office.
  • Adobe Photoshop.
Click to close

Open Source

Free Access Code Expand Card

Open Source: Definition

Software where anyone can view, edit, and share the source code.

Open Source: Examples

  • Linux Operating System.
  • Python Programming Language.
Click to close
04 Analysis

Copyright & Licensing

Legal: CDPA 1988

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

This act protects the Intellectual Property (IP) of creators. It makes it illegal to:

1. Copy or distribute work without permission.
2. Rent or lend work without permission.
3. Perform or show work in public without permission.

Applied Thinking

Scenario: A developer finds a clever block of code on a forum and copies it into their own commercial app without checking the licence.
Is this a breach of the CDPA?

Reveal Answer

Yes. Even if work is online, it is automatically protected by copyright. You must have permission (a licence) to use it.

Licensing: OS vs Proprietary

Choosing Your Licence

Software developers must decide how to distribute their code. They typically choose between Open Source or Proprietary models.

Feature Open Source Proprietary
Cost Usually Free. Usually requires a fee.
Source Code Viewable and editable. Private and secret.
Support Community forums/volunteer-led. Professional/guaranteed support.
Security Bugs found/fixed quickly by community. Regular, official security updates.

Applied Thinking

Scenario: A large bank is choosing software to manage millions of transactions. Why might they choose Proprietary software over Open Source?

Reveal Answer

Professional Support: Banks need guaranteed help if things go wrong. They also value the strict security of private, professionally-tested code.

05 Testing Lab

The Licence Auditor

Audit various software requests and choose the correct law or licence type. 100% required to pass.

Legal & Licence Audit

Start Audit
06 Engagement

The Code Protector

The ultimate Triple-Challenge Hub. Master the IP Scanner, Licence Architect, and CDPA Shield in three high-intensity missions!

IP Shield Mission

Launch 60s Mission
07 Plenary

Teacher Plenary

Lesson Complete

Students: Signal completion. Teacher: Initiate class reflection.

Discussion A

"If you create a piece of art or code, should you own it forever, or should it belong to everyone eventually?"

Discussion B

"Is Open Source software truly 'free' if you have to spend hours fixing bugs yourself?"