Author: Gabrielle Robitaille
Publisher: World Federation of Advertisers
Publication Year: 2020
Summary: The following article focuses on how gaining consumer trust is key for business success, and the adoption of data ethics in marketing and advertising allows companies to build upon this trust. In a society saturated with advanced technology, prioritizing the consumer and their ethical concerns allows businesses to stand out. Business interest and general welfare are not mutually exclusive events. In fact, desired results will follow a company’s adherence to transparency and excellence. Handling confidential and personal data requires a strong commitment to ethics because of the large-scale impact of data use. Moral choices about how data should be made throughout the entire process from data collection to analysis to conclusions drawn. Increased reliance on algorithms and instances of data misuse should encourage companies to focus more on data ethics. Advertisers hold the responsibility to work with integrity and prioritize consumer trust. Corporations need to incorporate ethical considerations and be aware of the potential consequences of the technologies they implement now as we head toward a more digital world.