
The Silent Consumer of The Future: Technology, Ethics, and the Search for Value
Chapter from the book:
Yılmaz Uz,
C.
(ed.)
2025.
The Anatomy of Silent Decisions: Digital Consumers, Perception, and Strategic Impact.
Synopsis
As digitalization gains momentum, technology is transforming not only individuals' daily life practices but also their value judgments. Concepts such as social media literacy, privacy, artificial intelligence usage, planned obsolescence, and digital detox are at the heart of consumers' new ethical concerns regarding technology. As users' expectations regarding digital trust and data privacy increase globally, individuals tend to make more informed choices in both their consumption processes and online behavior. Ethical issues created by technology have been examined using theoretical approaches such as utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and consumer ethics. The findings indicate that consumers are not only paying attention to the functionality of products and services, but also to their ethical production processes, environmental impact, and data security policies. Additionally, digital detox experiences reveal that individuals are seeking balance in their lives by consciously limiting technology. Artificial intelligence-powered marketing applications and personalized advertising, however, are being debated for their potential to threaten consumer privacy. In conclusion, the alignment between ethical principles in technology use and consumer values is critically important for a sustainable and trustworthy digital future. In this context, businesses developing strategies based on the principles of transparency, fairness, and accountability not only creates a competitive advantage but also strengthens consumer trust.