Online Ethics is a new term. A search online will show over
3 billion results. If you however make your search more focused and write
Online Ethics definition not many relevant results come up. The same happens
when searching for Online Ethics standards.
The reason is that Online Ethics is a discipline which is
far from being mature. Science has always been slower than reality when it
comes to analyzing and structuring processes. Now with the digital age rushing
ahead faster than we have experienced ever before, this problem becomes more
and more obvious.
According to Internet World Stats
34.3 % of the total population of Earth is online. This points to an increase of
566.4 % in the last two years. In other words this means not only that every
third person on the planet is online and sharing data. It also means that a
large portion of internet users are new users.
Online Ethics. The blissfully unaware consumer.
New users as well as more experienced ones are in most cases
unaware of data sharing online. Not understanding how it works, or how deep it
goes cause them to use internet in a very incautious way. If you ask the
average internet user whether they provide some information while surfing
online most will limit their answers to typing data in online forms.
In fact, data is collected in unimaginable volume. By visiting
a website (which just as well might be your email or home page) users provide
data including their location, language, browser, operating system, in some
cases also additional demographic data.
On record goes also which websites they visit, how often,
how much time they spend on the website and what do they do on it, which
website referred them and where did they go after leaving the current website.
Sometimes by clicking Yes in connection to installation of
apps or activating other functionalities we agree on our data being shared by
the visited website. This way our data becomes available to an unknown number
of other companies and advertisers.
If you ever wondered why you see quite well chosen
commercials every time you visit one site or another the reason is most likely
that data about your internet behavior has been shared with certain
corporations.
Online Ethics. Is it our responsibility to protect users?
When we talk about Online Ethics and responsibility to
protect users there are many unknown values which have to be defined to find an
answer.
Such values should be defined by the regulating institutions
in the different countries and the regulating bodies of Marketing and
Communications professional organizations.
Of course, as a private company it is not your
responsibility to protect users who are not on your website. Your Online Ethics
code should be focused on protecting consumers while on your website. Online
Ethics should also generally apply to data collection.
Online Ethics for business. Definition.
Online Ethics is a set of rules concerning our behavior on
the internet. It includes traditional ethical maxima and a new set of rules
specially designed to protect the rights and the privacy of our stakeholders.
As mentioned above it is not your responsibility to define
Online Ethics. However, it seems impossible to find a complete definition of or
a set of rules about Online Ethics. Therefore it is more than necessary to
include a customized definition of Online Ethics for your business and make it easily
accessible to your visitors.
Online Ethics. Musts and Don’ts.
Online ethics includes the traditional ethical principles as
transparency, not deceiving consumers, partners or third parts, not getting
involved in illegal activity, caring about our stakeholders and the
environment, respecting human rights and equity, etc.
Online Ethics includes however also a whole new set of rules
in connection to the new reality.
- Users should always be aware about what information you gather, for what purposes and who you share such information with.
- You have to state whether you keep personalized data or you remove personalizing elements.
- You have to state whether you delete the information after a certain period or retain it for further use.
- If you use in-depth data analyzes you must state on your website that you do so.
- You have to give your visitors the option to opt-out of data collection.
- You must not intrude your stakeholders’ privacy by advertizing, mailings, etc.
- You have to obtain your stakeholders’ permission to contact them. Otherwise you are not allowed to contact them in any way.
- According to EU law you must inform consumers about use of cookies when entering your website.
- Selling your stakeholders’ data to third parts without permission is not ethical and illegal in many countries.
- “Hiding” commercials or permission requests in apps or by renaming them in a way which changes consumer perception is not allowed.
- In connection to Mailing Lists a recipient should always have the possibility to opt out of receiving newsletters. A no to a newsletter should be respected.
- You should not accept payments on your website if you are not able to secure the transaction and protect consumers.
- You must never misuse collected bank information.
- You must always inform your stakeholders in case of information breach. This way you can help them to limit damages.
- You must never misuse internet anonymity by deceiving others.
- As a part of a company you have to always identify yourself in connection to participation in forums and discussions where you promote products, services or companies.
The list continues almost endlessly as a specific set of
rules applies to each particular situation.
Why is Online Ethics important?
Online Ethics is not yet defined in a way allowing companies
simply to comply with a set of branch specific rules. Because of that companies
are risking severe critic or allegations once consumers become more or less
aware of data sharing online.
Online Ethics gives you the opportunity to get ahead of
competition by adding an Online Ethics section to your CSR policy. By doing
this and following the rules listed above you can avoid losing consumers’
trust.
Especially now with consumers dealing often with changing
privacy policy on Facebook and other Social Media platforms their attention is
drawn towards the fact that enormous amounts of data are being collected and
shared on the internet.
The fact remains that consumers cannot understand how such
data collection functions and what it really means for them. This should
however not be confused with indifference. Quite to the contrary. Not understanding
why and how data is being collected makes internet users insecure and angry.
By explaining simply and truthfully why do you collect
information, what kind of information you collect and how is it being stored,
used, processed and shared you will be able to avert consumer anger.
Dangers connected to publishing your Online Ethics Code
Of course, by publishing your Online Ethics Codex you will
also be criticized. The reason is that you will be one of not so many
publishing or implementing an Online Ethics Code. Thus, there might be users
who will misinterpret your content and you might lose them as consumers. You
will also be doing it while regulations are not clarified well enough to help
you stand on solid ground. Because of that there is a chance that later on you
will have to make urgent corrections to your Online Ethics Code in order to
comply with laws and regulations.
Should I add an Online Ethics Code?
The answer is a certain yes. The only question still
remaining is about how you should include your Online Ethics Code.
Reason to do it include enhanced CSR profile, better
business practice and earning consumer loyalty by showing consumers respect.
The downsides including loss of trust or misinterpreting of
your Online Ethics Code should only be taken into consideration in connection
to implementation. You have to find the right way to inform your stakeholders
about your online behavior and Online Ethics in connection to that. This is
done in a branch-specific and target group-specific way therefore it is not
possible to provide guideline about how to do it.
In conclusion there is one thing a company should remember:
respecting your stakeholders is rule number one. Deceiving them in any way results
in short-term commitments which are much less profitable. Losing the trust of
your consumers or other stakeholders in the digital age where consumer
socializing is becoming a common event is not something you can afford.
Thus, you have to take the risk and make your Online Ethics
Code clear and easily accessible. At the end, consumers will appreciate it.
