Ethical Issues in e-Commerce Essay -- Business Ethics

IntroductionThe internet has received a great deal of maintenance in the media lately due to its tremendousgrowth in usage by some(prenominal) consumers and businesses. The unique capabilities of the Internet has captured the attention of the marketing community. While a growing cast of companies turn over or are interested in developing an Internet presence, there is still a great deal of scruple about it and the potential respectable issues associated with its use as a marketing medium. Although many businesses are acknowledging the importance of a Web site, but the potential ethical issues related to marketing on the Internet still having an uncertainty in this situation. Much less attention has been given to the business communitys perceptions of the ethicalness of this new medium. The unique interactivity of the Internet has captured the marketing communitys interest as a way to develop and enhance customer relationships and establish greater brand identity. Thus, many co mmercial services collapse become available on the Internet that allow consumers and organizations to interact electronically. These services include booking airline tickets online, buying books and compact discs, and receiving stock market information. Although the number of consumer users and commercial organizations navigating on this information superhighway is growing almost exponentially, the benefits of the Internet are not without drawbacks.Ethical IssuesPrivacyPrivacy is the condition where someone in-person information can not be documented and be used by others (Parent, 1983). Privacy has been and continues to be a significant issue of concern for both current and prospective electronic commerce customers. The foll... ...try to ensure Internet security. More practically, marketers must try to target consumer groups more accurately. Minimizing unwanted consumer contacts may reduce the volume and visibility of some dimensions of privacy issues. Last, marketing researche rs must attempt to define privacy operationally. Much has been said and written about consumer privacy, but we still have little understanding of what information consumers consider private, why they consider it private, and whether this set of information changes situationally or in response to other factors.Works CitedStead, B. A., & Gilbert, J. (2001). Ethical issues in electronic commerce. Journal of Business Ethics, 34, 75-85. Foxman, E. R., & Kilcoyne, P. (n.d.). Information technology, marketing practice, and consumer privacy ethical issues. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 12(1), 106-119.