Ethics in Digital Marketing: A Gen-Z’s Perspective

Author

Suruchi Bhatt, Clark UniversityFollow

Date

3-2025

Document Type

White Paper

Degree Name

Master’s in Marketing Analysis

Department

Graduate School of Management

Keywords

ethics in digital marketing, AI, technology, tracking consumer data online, tracking consent, data analytics, gender bias, racial bias, age bias

Abstract

Almost 72% of Americans report they have a sense of being tracked online through their cellphones, by their advertisers or companies they follow, around 20% think their activities across their days are tracked, with almost 47% reporting the government tracks their cellphones, behaviors, and everything they do online. (Atske, 2019) It is no secret that when people say privacy is a myth, it is upon the behaviors of the companies to inform the customers of what, where, and why their activity is being tracked. Answering how the activity is tracked and when it will be tracked are key factors that lead to customer trust and establish a healthy and positive communication between the brand and its customers.

With the advent of AI and digital growth, no stone is left unturned when it comes to working with technology, automation, and figuratively making our lives easier because 'Every Second Counts.'

The paper is a Gen Z perspective on Ethical Issues associated with Digital Marketing Practices, such as tracking customers' online browsing activities without their consent, Ethical Issues with the use of AI in Marketing and Digital Marketing, and lastly, identifying the potential bias in Data Analytics based on Consumer Online Activity.

Recommended Citation

Bhatt, Suruchi, "Ethics in Digital Marketing: A Gen-Z’s Perspective" (2025). School of Business. 2.
https://commons.clarku.edu/graduate_som/2