The Impact of Personal Information in E-Commerce: Balancing Privacy, Security, and Ethics

Abstract

The collection of personal data from consumers is a key factor in the success of e-commerce. However, there is a risk that online companies may use this information for purposes other than those stated at the time of carrying out the transactions. Consumers make a trade-off between the benefits of disclosing personal information and the costs associated with the risks of that information being used unethically by companies. This chapter aims to analyze the role of personal information in the growth and success of e-commerce, as well as the privacy and security concerns issues associated with personal information disclosure through a systematic literature review. The review includes 84 articles published in the Scopus® database, presenting up-to-date knowledge on the topic. The main conclusion is that e-commerce is an issue involving three different stakeholders: online companies, consumers, and the government, where each of them has an important role to play.