← VCE Software Development U3O2

IPP 10: sensitive information

Victorian privacy principle: sensitive information (health, ethnic origin, beliefs) can only be collected with the person's consent or when the law allows it.

Part of: VCE Software Development - U3O2 - Analysis and Design — Module 72, VCE Data Analytics - U3O2 - Analysis and Design — Module 104, VCE Data Analytics - U4O2 - Cyber Security: Data Security — Module 109

Understanding IPP 10: sensitive information in VCE Software Development U3O2

What it does: The list shows the types of sensitive information that IPP 10 protects. The condition shows IPP 10: collection is permitted only with consent or a legal exception, otherwise it is not. IPP 10 covers sensitive details such as ethnic origin, religious beliefs, political opinions and similar. A favourite colour is not sensitive. IPP 10 restricts collection. 'It might be useful later' is not a valid reason. Consent must be real and informed. Pre-ticked boxes make it unclear that the user actually agreed. Good design avoids collecting sensitive information unless there is a need and a valid basis such as consent or law.

Common mistakes: IPP 10 lets sensitive information be collected if the person consents OR the law allows it. Requiring both with AND is too strict. It should be IF consent OR lawAllows THEN. Religious beliefs are sensitive information under IPP 10. The flag must be set to TRUE, not FALSE.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 72–85) and word search (Modules 52–85).

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Learning
Duo
Which of these is sensitive information under IPP 10?
A student's favourite colourA student's religious beliefs
Matches
IF isSensitive THEN collect(data) //no consent asked
↓
Sensitive information is collected without checking for consent or a legal exception, which breaks IPP 10.
Applying
Meanings
Term
IPP 10: sensitive information
Meaning
Victorian privacy principle: sensitive information (health, ethnic origin, beliefs) can only be collected with the person's consent or when the law allows it.
Practice
IF infoType = "health" OR infoType = "ethnic origin" THEN
Testing
Gaps
"Ask for consent"
Check Answer
Spots
3lawAllows ← TRUE
4IF consent AND lawAllows THEN

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Quick Questions

1. Which of these is sensitive information under IPP 10?
A. A student's religious beliefs ✓
B. A student's favourite colour
IPP 10 covers sensitive details such as ethnic origin, religious beliefs, political opinions and similar. A favourite colour is not sensitive.
2. A school app wants to record each user's ethnic origin. What does IPP 10 normally require?
A. Nothing, as long as the data is stored securely
B. The user's consent ✓
Secure storage is not enough. Sensitive information can only be collected with consent or when the law allows it.
3. Which statement about IPP 10 is true?
A. Sensitive information can only be collected in limited situations ✓
B. Sensitive information can be collected freely if it might be useful later
IPP 10 restricts collection. 'It might be useful later' is not a valid reason.
4. A developer builds a sign-up form. Which field needs consent under IPP 10?
A. Field asking for a username
B. Optional field asking for political opinions ✓
Political opinions are sensitive information. A username is ordinary personal information.
5. Which is a valid reason to collect sensitive information under IPP 10?
A. A law requires the information to be collected ✓
B. Collecting it will make the software more interesting
One of the limited exceptions is when the law requires or authorises the collection. Making software more interesting is not a valid reason.

Match the Pairs

IPP 10: sensitive information → A Victorian privacy principle that limits collecting sensitive information such as health, ethnic origin or beliefs.
consent == true → The person has agreed to their sensitive information being collected, which is the main condition IPP 10 allows.
Sensitive information includes health, ethnic origin and religious or political beliefs, so a form asking for these needs extra care. → sensitiveFields = [health, ethnicOrigin, beliefs]
Sensitive information may be collected only if the person consents or the law allows or requires it. → IF consent OR lawAllows THEN collect(sensitiveData)
IF isSensitive THEN collect(data) //no consent asked → Sensitive information is collected without checking for consent or a legal exception, which breaks IPP 10.
Sign-up form: Name, Email, Religion (required, no explanation) → Making a sensitive field like religion compulsory with no consent or legal reason, which is not permitted under IPP 10.

Key Term

IPP 10: sensitive information
Victorian privacy principle: sensitive information (health, ethnic origin, beliefs) can only be collected with the person's consent or when the law allows it.

Fill in the Blanks

1. IF sensitive THEN DISPLAY "Ask for consent" END IF
Hint: Type the pseudocode keyword that shows a message to the user.
2. IF sensitive AND consent = FALSE THEN DISPLAY "Cannot collect" END IF
Hint: Type the Boolean value that means the person has not given their permission.
3. IF consent OR lawAllows THEN collectData() END IF
Hint: Type the logical operator meaning either of the two conditions is enough to collect sensitive information.
4. IF sensitive AND consent THEN collectData() END IF
Hint: Type the keyword that ends the condition and starts the block of code that runs when it is true.
5. IF sensitive AND NOT consent THEN DISPLAY "Stop collecting" END IF
Hint: Type the logical operator that reverses the consent value, so this runs when permission has not been given.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A sensitive ← TRUE
B consent ← FALSE
C lawAllows ← TRUE
D IF consent AND lawAllows THEN
E collectData()
F END IF
Line D — IPP 10 lets sensitive information be collected if the person consents OR the law allows it. Requiring both with AND is too strict. It should be IF consent OR lawAllows THEN.
Question 2
A INPUT infoType
B IF infoType = "religion" THEN
C sensitive ← FALSE
D END IF
Line C — Religious beliefs are sensitive information under IPP 10. The flag must be set to TRUE, not FALSE.
Question 3
A sensitive ← TRUE
B consent ← TRUE
C IF sensitive AND consent THEN
D discard(healthRecord)
E ELSE
F DISPLAY "Consent needed"
Line D — When the information is sensitive and the person has consented, IPP 10 allows collection. The line should be collect(healthRecord), not discard.
Question 4
A sensitive ← TRUE
B IF consent = FALSE THEN
C collect(ethnicOrigin)
D END IF
Line B — Ethnic origin is sensitive, so it can only be collected when consent is given. The condition should be consent = TRUE.
Question 5
A list ← ["health", "postcode"]
B INPUT field
C IF field IN list THEN
D sensitive ← TRUE
Line A — The list should hold types of sensitive information such as health and religion. A postcode is ordinary personal information, not sensitive information under IPP 10.

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