Discuss It's Relation Ethics, Technology And Society

E-Commerce: Its relation to Ethics, Technology and Society
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E-Commerce: Its relation to Ethics, Technology and Society
With each passing day and season, the world is introduced to new technological experiences and revolutionary ideas which have helped to shape and dictate consumer behavior. Currently, people get to do their shopping from the comfort of their homes or while in their offices or even while on vacation. Technology has indeed helped to change the world and increase efficiency and effectiveness in some activities. During e-commerce’s inception, some sceptics and critics thought the idea was flawed and deemed it man’s infatuation with development. However, e-commerce has completely revolutionized consumer behavior and has also created myriads of opportunities for growth. The jobs have been created, millions of dollars generated, and shopping has never been this easy. However, there are still some factors or lines of thought in relation to e-commerce that need to be explained. For example, the ethical issues surrounding e-commerce, technological innovations behind e-commerce, and societal reactions towards the invention and adoption of e-commerce. While assumptions can fuel a conversation, one can never depend on them fully and hence the focus of this article on ethics, society, and technology.
E-commerce has indeed revolutionized the world, and some of its benefits include access 24-hour operations, providing access to a global market, the removal of the middleman, provides a level playing field, reduces marketing costs, etc. (Chitrangda, 2014). While there is no denying that consumers and businesses alike benefit from e-commerce, it is also essential to note some of the ethical concerns or issues in e-commerce. With every new technological invention, there are always security concerns which often cast a dark cloud on revolutionary ideas and e-commerce is no exception. E-commerce can indeed fuel and propel a business towards greater success. However, it is indeed wise to consider the ethical issues surrounding it for purposes of providing a secure environment for the consumers. First of all, one needs to identify the ethical concerns in e-commerce or e-business. According to Chitrangda (2014), some of the common concerns include online spoofing, invasion of privacy, cyber-squatting, email spamming, internet fraud, etc. E-commerce introduces a firm to a set of different ethical challenges which can indeed infringe on a company’s reputation. While the focus is often on the security concerns, it is essential to remember that legal concerns are also just as important. The goal should always ensure that business transactions are conducted in a manner that safeguards the interests of both the business and the consumers. It is not always about the profits a business can make but also about protecting the consumers and their interests.
Talk of e-commerce without mentioning the technology behind it, or the expected technological trends would be blunt. The retail industry is growing with each passing day, and in 2016 Lazar (2017) reports that it collected up to $27 trillion. E-com...