Data Ethics and Privacy in the Digital Business Ecosystem

The rapid expansion of the digital economy has transformed business operations into highly interconnected, data-driven ecosystems. While digital technologies enable efficiency, personalization, and market growth, they also raise significant concerns regarding data privacy, security, and ethical responsibility. Repeated data breach incidents and weak enforcement of data protection regulations, particularly in emerging digital markets, have contributed to declining consumer trust in digital platforms. This study examines the role of digital transparency, data security, and corporate digital social responsibility (CDSR) in shaping consumer trust within the digital business context. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 253 active digital platform users in Indonesia through an online questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that digital transparency and data security have a strong and significant influence on consumer trust, while CDSR plays an important complementary role by signaling ethical commitment beyond regulatory compliance. Based on our findings, legal compliance alone is insufficient to sustain trust without transparent communication and responsible digital practices. This research contributes to the growing literature on digital ethics by highlighting the importance of integrating transparency, security, and social responsibility into digital governance strategies. Practically, the findings offer insights for digital businesses to strengthen consumer trust by adopting ethical data management practices that go beyond minimum regulatory requirements.