Marketing Ethics in the Digital Age: Controversies and Ethical Dilemmas in Online Advertising

This research aims to examine marketing ethics in online advertising in the digital age, focusing on the controversies and ethical dilemmas that arise related to the use of consumer data. Using a qualitative research design with a case study approach, the unit of analysis is companies that are active in digital marketing through online advertising. Data sources were obtained through interviews with digital marketing managers and decision-makers, as well as analysis of existing policy documents and marketing practices. The data collection techniques used were semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis. The data was analysed using thematic analysis methods to identify key themes related to ethical dilemmas in digital marketing. The research findings show that while companies recognise the importance of marketing ethics, many still ignore the transparency and explicit consent aspects of consumer personal data collection. The contribution of this research is to provide insight into the need for a clearer ethics policy and the application of transparency principles in online advertising, to maintain consumer trust and minimise ethical violations in the digital era.