Ethical Considerations on Digital Nudging – Identifying Consumer Concerns
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2018
Author(s)
Abstract
Information systems influence individuals’ behavior and firms are aware of it. Therefore, they vigorously design and constantly try to improve their digital channels. To increase influence further, approaches like digital nudging, which aims to influence individuals’ decision-making by using their cognitive limitations while preserving freedom of choice, and being beneficial for them, are leveraged. However, digital nudging often accompanies the question if firms are using it to take advantage by exploiting individuals’ cognitive flaws for their self-interest. Despite this undisputed relevance of potential ethical implications, knowledge about the ethical perspective of digital nudging is scarce. Therefore, based on a text mining analysis, this study identifies ethical concerns consumers have about employed behavior change approaches in practice. Thereby, an indicator for the ethical acceptability of digital nudges is provided, which extends extant studies and both researchers as well as practitioners are supported in developing ethical acceptable digital nudges.
Language
English
Keywords
digital nudging
ethics
text mining
topic modelling
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
SoM - Business Innovation
Publisher place
St.Gallen
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Contact Email Address
tobias.mirsch@unisg.ch
References
Full paper accessible at IWI-HSG, IWI5, 6th floor, Room 52-6066, Müller-Friedberg-Strasse 8, 9000 St. Gallen
Eprints ID
254889