Introduction
The practice of targeting uninformed customers refers to a variety of ways of selling products and services to individuals who lack the knowledge to make an informed decision. While it is possible to describe the practice as tentatively unethical, the exact reasons are often unclear. Targeting customers to mislead them is morally reprehensible from the perspectives of utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, and virtue ethics.
Targeting Uninformed Customers
Deontological Ethics
Kantian ethics revolve around the concept of categorical imperatives – rules that everyone should follow regardless of the situation. Deceit (and deontological ethics classify taking advantage of the uninformed as such) would undermine the world order, making it an unethical way to conduct business (Paytas and Henning 49). If every business took advantage of such customers, it would erode public trust and cause a severe economic crisis.
Secondly, the concept of informed choices is paramount to a Kantian worldview. An individual can make ethical decisions only when they are the most informed about a subject (Paytas and Henning, 50). Purchasing goods or services can be an ethical or unethical action in and of itself. For example, a customer may choose not to purchase products not grown on fair trade farms. Therefore, withholding information critical to making such decisions is immoral.
Utilitarian Ethics
Utilitarian ethics place the balance of happiness as the measure of all actions. Targeting uninformed customers by businesses goes against that notion (Scarre 19). Should a customer realize they have been purposefully targeted and deceived, they would be depressed. Thus, the practice itself results in a net loss of happiness for the majority, to the benefit of a much smaller number of individuals in a particular business (Scarre 28). Based on that alone, the practice would be considered unethical by these standards.
Finally, the action has the potential to bring long-term unhappiness. Companies that resort to immoral practices invariably have their reputations tarnished, resulting in the loss of wealth and profits. Potential bankruptcy and downsizing would result in job losses and many families losing income (Scarre 65). Thus, the practice is unethical in the long term as well.
Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics holds individuals to a set of standards considered self-evident. Chief among them are the concepts of autonomy and dignity. A person is free to make their own decisions and is to be treated with dignity and respect (Baggini and Fosl 91). Preying on deceived customers disrespects them as individuals and diminishes their autonomy by forcing them to make a wrong choice.
In addition, targeting uninformed customers goes against the virtues of openness, honesty, and trustworthiness. In that regard, the framework mirrors Kantian conclusions. By definition, the practice revolves around not being open, committing lies of omission, and undermining long-term trustworthiness (Baginni and Fosl 27). Thus, making the entire premise extremely unethical from the perspective of virtuous morality.
Conclusions
The practice of targeting uninformed customers is unethical from the utilitarian, Kantian, and virtue perspectives. It results in the loss of public trust, profits, and long-term sustainability. Likewise, it diminishes customers as people and violates many of the virtues on which our society is built. This practice should be consciously avoided at all levels of business.
Works Cited
Baggini, Julian, and Peter S. Fosl. The Ethics Toolkit: A Compendium of Ethical Concepts and Methods. 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2024.
Paytas, Tyler, and Tim Henning, eds. Kantian and Sidgwickian Ethics: The Cosmos of Duty Above and the Moral Law Within. Routledge, 2020.
Scarre, Geoffrey. Utilitarianism. Routledge, 2020. E-book.