← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

Writing a footprint finding with evidence

A clear statement that names the system, the data collected, whether it is essential and a change to make, joined with 'because' to give the reason.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Digital Footprints and Data Minimisation — Module 57

Understanding Writing a footprint finding with evidence in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

What it does: This names the system, the item and whether it is essential, then recommends making it optional with a 'because' reason. Generalising turns an exact value into a range. It keeps the data useful while making it harder to identify one person. The first finding does not say whether the data is essential or what change to make. The second has all four parts. The word 'because' joins the recommended change to the evidence, which makes the finding clear.

Common mistakes: The finding says the data is not essential, so the change should be to remove it. Keeping it contradicts the 'because' reason. It should read 'Change: remove it'. Line 1 must name the system being audited, not the data item. The data item belongs on line 2. It should be 'System: Gym sign-up form'.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 752–770) and word search (Modules 696–770).

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Learning
Duo
Which finding is clearer?
The app asks for too much stuff and that is bad.The school app collects home addresses. This is not essential because it only sends notices, so I recommend removing it.
Matches
The form collects too much data.
↓
It does not name the system or the data item, say if it is essential, give a recommended change or use 'because'.
Applying
Meanings
Term
finding
Meaning
A clear statement that names the system, the data collected, whether it is essential and a change to make, joined with 'because' to give the reason.
Practice
System: Canteen app
Testing
Gaps
which is not essential books are
Check Answer
Spots
3Essential: no
4Change: keep it

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Quick Questions

1. Which finding is clearer?
A. The school app collects home addresses. This is not essential because it only sends notices, so I recommend removing it. ✓
B. The app asks for too much stuff and that is bad.
A clear finding names the system (school app), the data item (home address), whether it is essential and a change, joined by 'because'.
2. Which sentence starter helps you name the system and the data item?
A. The library website collects... ✓
B. I just think that...
A good starter names the system first and then the data it collects, so the reader knows exactly what you are talking about.
3. Which finding gives a reason using 'because'?
A. Birth date is not essential. The quiz is fun.
B. Birth date is not essential because the quiz only needs a year level. ✓
'Because' links the judgement (not essential) to the evidence (the quiz only needs year level). Without it there is no reason.
4. A club form collects a phone number, but you only email members. What should your finding recommend?
A. Make the phone number optional or remove it because it is not needed to send emails. ✓
B. Keep the phone number required because more data is always useful.
If a data item is not essential to the purpose, recommend removing it or making it optional. Collecting extra data raises the privacy risk.
5. Which finding uses 'generalise' correctly?
A. The survey collects exact ages. I recommend making ages more exact because it looks neat.
B. The survey collects exact ages. I recommend using age bands like 12-13 because the results only compare groups. ✓
Generalising turns an exact value into a range. It keeps the data useful while making it harder to identify one person.

Match the Pairs

The school app collects home address, which is not essential, → A sentence starter that names the system, the data item and says whether it is essential
I recommend we remove it because → A sentence starter that gives a recommended change and links it to the reason with 'because'
A finding that recommends making a data item optional when it is useful but not essential → The sports club form asks for photo consent. It is not essential, so make it optional because the club can run without it.
A finding that recommends generalising a detail so the system still works with less identifying data → The quiz app stores exact birthdate. Change it to an age band because the quiz only needs to group players.
The form collects too much data. → It does not name the system or the data item, say if it is essential, give a recommended change or use 'because'.
Remove the phone number from the library app. → It gives a change but no 'because' reason and does not say whether the phone number is essential.

Key Term

finding
A clear statement that names the system, the data collected, whether it is essential and a change to make, joined with 'because' to give the reason.

Fill in the Blanks

1. The library app records your home address, which is not essential because books are borrowed with a card number.
Hint: Type the linking word that connects a finding to its reason.
2. Finding: The quiz app collects birthdates. Recommend: remove this field because it is not essential to running a quiz.
Hint: Type the action word for taking a data item out of a system.
3. The club form asks for a phone number. Few members need it, so make it optional because not everyone has to be called.
Hint: Type the word for a form field that a user is allowed to skip.
4. Finding: The survey stores exact ages, so generalise them into age bands because a band still answers the question.
Hint: Type the verb for turning exact values into broader ranges.
5. Dear app owner, your app records location but it is not essential because the app only counts steps. Please remove it.
Hint: Type the word for data that a system truly needs to do its job.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A System: Library app
B Data: home address
C Essential: no
D Change: keep it
E Because: it is not needed
Line D — The finding says the data is not essential, so the change should be to remove it. Keeping it contradicts the 'because' reason. It should read 'Change: remove it'.
Question 2
A System: email address
B Data: email address
C Essential: yes
D Change: keep it
E Because: we send receipts
Line A — Line 1 must name the system being audited, not the data item. The data item belongs on line 2. It should be 'System: Gym sign-up form'.
Question 3
A System: Fitness app
B Data: exact birth date
C Change: collect more detail
D Because: age range is enough
Line C — Generalising means replacing an exact value with a less detailed range. Collecting more detail does the opposite. It should be 'Change: use an age band'.
Question 4
A System: Sports club form
B Data: phone number
C Change: make it required
D Because: not needed to join
Line C — The reason says the phone number is not needed to join, so the recommended change is to make it optional, not required.
Question 5
A System: Class survey
B Data: student names
C Essential: no
D Change: show names in report
E Because: codes hide identity
Line D — De-identifying means replacing names with participant codes. Showing names in the report keeps people identifiable. It should be 'Change: use participant codes'.

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