Purpose The purpose of this study to document and criticaly analyse decline of Working-Class literature in India. Historically, this literary tradition took root in the struggles of workers during industrialisation and the anti-colonial movement, functioning as a powerful medium for voicing the everyday realities of labourers in factories, fields and informal employment. The tradition was nurtured by an ecosystem of progressive political movements, trade union patronage, and vernacular publishing infrastructure that collectively sustained its production and ensured its circulation among the communities it represented. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on narrative based extensive literature review. Methodologically, the paper draws on Marxist political economy, Foucauldian power analysis, Nancy Fraser’s theory of the public sphere, and Cultural Materialism. Findings The study is guided by interconnected research questions: firstly, how the fragmentation of organised labour, the consequences of economic liberalisation, and the rise of digital media brought about socio-economic and cultural changes that have together undermined working-class literature; secondly, how these same forces have redirected publishing and readership towards middle-class tastes and aesthetics; and thirdly, how this literary decline amounts to an epistemic loss that carries enduring cultural consequences for Indian democracy and social consciousness. Originality/value This paper examines the underlying causes and evaluates the normative consequences of the steady erosion of working-class literature in India. The paper analyses the processes that have marginalised working-class narratives, traces the erasure of social memory that follows from their disappearance, and examines how the absence of such literature reinforces cultural privilege and deepens existing structures of inequality.
Purpose This study aims to examine ethical and privacy issues in artificial intelligence (AI)-based information services in libraries and to analyze their implications for user trust. This study specifically focuses on how librarians and users perceive AI ethics differently and how these perceptions influence trust in AI-driven library services. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-method approach was used. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with librarians to explore their understanding and implementation of ethical principles in AI-based services. Quantitative data were obtained via a survey questionnaire distributed to library users to measure their perceptions of ethics, transparency, privacy and trust in AI systems. Findings The findings of this study reveal a significant gap between librarians’ and users’ interpretations of AI ethics. Librarians tend to conceptualize ethics within institutional regulations and professional standards, whereas users emphasize personal data protection and a sense of security. Ethical literacy initiatives conducted by librarians have not fully succeeded in fostering user trust, as reflected in low user perceptions of transparency and system security. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by integrating ethical literacy and user trust perspectives in the context of AI-based library services. This study highlights the importance of involving users in ethical and policy discussions related to AI implementation. The findings offer practical insights for developing more inclusive and user-centered ethical frameworks for AI adoption in libraries and other information institutions.
Purpose This paper aims to address a core limitation in computational Kantian ethics: the tension between deontological rigidity and the demands of decision-making in complex, real-world environments. It proposes an adaptive extension of the categorical imperative that preserves its non-consequentialist foundations while enabling context-sensitive application. Design/methodology/approach The authors develop a constraint-based computational framework in which moral values are treated as conditions of admissibility rather than optimization targets. The model introduces dynamic tolerance and impact thresholds to enable bounded flexibility. It is empirically evaluated on the ETHICS data set through comparison with baseline Kantian and reinforcement learning from human feedback -based models. Findings The adaptive formulation improves behavioral alignment across diverse scenarios while maintaining strong deontological consistency. It systematically rejects compensatory trade-offs typical of reward-optimizing systems, while allowing conditionally admissible decisions in cases of conflicting duties under strict structural constraints. Research limitations/implications The framework depends on calibrated parameters and predefined value structures, which may introduce subjectivity and limit generalizability. Scalability and long-term stability in multi-agent settings remain open challenges. Practical implications The model supports auditable, constraint-aligned decision-making in high-risk domains requiring transparency, accountability and regulatory compliance. Originality/value This paper offers a novel constraint-based reinterpretation of Kantian ethics that integrates adaptive mechanisms without collapsing into consequentialism, advancing the development of robust, policy-compliant and ethically grounded artificial intelligence systems.
Purpose The dominance of traditional mass media has been significantly challenged by the rise of digital and social media, whose impacts on the habits of informational consumption, human sentiments, attitudes and behaviors have not been well documented. This study aims to examine how digital and social media use, compared to traditional media use, relates to people’s social trust, supernational confidence (in the UN system), ethical values and happiness globally. Design/methodology/approach Regression analyses based on the 7th wave of the World Value Survey (WVS) data collected from 2017 to 2022 in 66 societies, with further testing in 6 groups (light, moderate or heavy media users; not free, partly free or free societies). Findings The study reveals that, in general, digital media use, such as using traditional media, correlates positively with supernational confidence and happiness but negatively with ethical values. Social media, on the other hand, covary positively with ethical values but negatively with social trust and supernational confidence. A following examination of those relationships in six groups (light, moderate, or heavy media users or not free, partly free or free societies) confirmed more or less of them, revealing new interesting findings. Research limitations/implications This study relies on the cross-sectional 7th wave of the WVS data, which limits its insight. Some findings are not confirmed in all groups. Practical implications The different patterns of the relationships of using those communication channels with the major values suggest a healthy habit of combining them instead of relying on merely one or two, which have clear drawbacks, such as the negative relationship between social media use and social trust, supernational confidence or that between digital and traditional media use and ethical values. Social implications The study helps understand the use of digital or social media and factors associated with the shifting of important social values. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between digital and social media use and some significant values, specifically, social trust, supernational confidence, ethical values and happiness, with a high-quality set of global data and testing in six groups.
PurposeThis study aims to discuss transparency and accountability in hate speech detection and adjacent fields, with a focus on misogyny, by analyzing annotator documentation; as well as to re-examine the prevailing overreliance on performance metrics alone for model evaluation and to emphasize the critical role of annotator documentation in ensuring equitable and trustworthy detection systems. Design/methodology/approachThe discussion is based on the analysis of annotator documentation across 25 studies and a post hoc framework of six disclosure dimensions: annotator selection, quantity, training, demographics, compensation and expertise. Building on this framework, this paper introduces a novel weighted annotator metadata transparency (AMT) score that prioritizes demographics and domain expertise as critical factors for equitable model development. FindingsThe results of this study reveals significant transparency gaps: surveyed articles achieved only a 27% average AMT score, with particularly concerning deficiencies in demographics (20%) and domain expertise (0%). Furthermore, this paper identifies an inverse relationship between transparency and performance: models with higher F1 scores consistently demonstrated poorer annotator documentation, while more transparent studies clustered in the lower performance range. Originality/valueThis study introduces a novel, weighted framework (the AMT score) for evaluating AMT. The finding of an inverse relationship between reported model performance and transparency is a critical and original contribution that challenges current evaluation paradigms. The authors conclude by providing a set of best practices to guide the research community toward more equitable and trustworthy model development.
Purpose This study aims to review the research landscape of virtual voice assistants (VVAs), with a particular focus on how these technologies contribute to the development of consumer capital. Design/methodology/approach This study involved a systematic evaluation of 130 documents published between 2004 and 2025. Through a combination of descriptive and content analyses, keyword co-occurrence analysis and thematic mapping, overarching themes and topics within the literature were identified. Additionally, cartographic tools were used to uncover trending, nascent and specialized research areas, offering insights into the structure and thematic focus of available studies. The SPAR 4 SLR and TCM frameworks were used to identify themes and related aspects. Findings The analysis highlights several critical aspects of VVAs, including brand credibility, user experience, information disclosure, user gratification and anthropomorphism. These factors have been found to play a significant role in shaping consumer capital by influencing how users interact with VVAs, build trust and form emotional connections. This study demonstrates that these interactions contribute to the accumulation of digital literacy, emotional engagement and informed decision-making, which are essential components of both consumer and human capital. Originality/value This study provides a novel perspective by linking VVA development to the concepts of consumer and human capital. After establishing connections between user interactions with VVAs and their broader impacts on consumer behavior and digital literacy, this study offers a unique foundation for future investigations in the rapidly evolving digital economy. These findings serve as a guide for scholars and practitioners to explore the ongoing impact of VVAs on consumer behavior and the digital landscape.
Purpose This study aims to investigate how the digitization of Islamic interpretation through digital media influences gender justice discourse in Indonesian Muslim households. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review of 21 empirical studies (2020–2025) was conducted using the PRISMA 2020. A socio-ecological framework was used to synthesize findings across structural, interpersonal and individual levels. Findings Three dynamics emerged: democratization of interpretive authority that challenges but also fragments traditional legitimacy; contestation of progressive and conservative narratives in digital publics, where platform logics amplify both egalitarian and patriarchal voices; and renegotiation of household gender roles, with partial shifts in decision-making and domestic labor shaped by digital literacy, cultural norms and community support. Research limitations/implications Most of the studies analyzed were cross-sectional and qualitative, so they were not able to capture the long-term impact of digital interpretation on household practices. In addition, the role of social media algorithms in determining the visibility of progressive and conservative interpretations has not been widely studied, while the research context is still focused on urban communities with little attention to rural areas, eastern Indonesia and groups with limited digital access. Male perspectives are also relatively rarely explored. Practical implications Practically, the results emphasize the urgency of gender-sensitive digital-religious literacy, ethical frameworks for online daʿwah and multi-stakeholder collaboration between policymakers, religious authorities and technology platforms. In this sense, digitization is not merely a technical shift but a normative and ethical frontier, where the pursuit of gender justice depends on how societies govern and engage with digital platforms as part of the broader ICT ecosystem. Social implications The findings show that digital platforms create contested spaces where gender equality is both promoted and resisted. This has direct implications for family life in Muslim societies: online egalitarian interpretations can empower women and support shared decision-making, but conservative narratives may reinforce patriarchal norms. Strengthening gender-sensitive digital literacy, promoting ethical governance of online religious content and fostering collaboration among policymakers, religious leaders and technology platforms are essential to ensure that digital media becomes a driver of inclusive and equitable social change. Originality/value The study situates digital religion within ICT ethics, highlighting opportunities and risks for gender justice and underscoring the need for gender-sensitive digital literacy and ethical governance of online religious content.
Purpose This paper aims to develop the concept of algorithmic ethical silence. It explains how opaque platform governance can produce moral self-censorship even without direct takedowns or explicit sanctions. Design/methodology/approach The study is conceptual. It synthesises scholarship on silence and self-censorship with research on chilling effects. It also synthesises work on platform governance and algorithmic opacity. Then it builds an integrative mechanism model and propositions. Findings The paper specifies a three-part mechanism. Opacity constrains users’ causal inference about why visibility changes. Probabilistic enforcement produces anticipatory compliance under uncertainty. Metricised visibility turns moral expression into reputational and sometimes economic exposure. Together these conditions shift silence from an interpersonal reaction to a system-produced ethical condition. Research limitations/implications The paper does not test the model empirically. It offers propositions and boundary conditions that can guide qualitative process tracking, comparative platform studies and audit-informed designs. It can connect perceived governance conditions to patterns of withheld moral speech. Practical implications Platforms can reduce ethical silence through actionable explanations and appeals. It can help regulators with audits of visibility interventions. Social implications Algorithm-based ethical silence can reduce the moral vocabulary of people. It is capable of undermining dissent signalling. It can also reduce perceived accountability by discouraging public moral critique. Originality/value The concept of algorithmic ethical silence specifies a distinct mechanism through which opaque governance can reduce morally explicit voice without takedowns. It theorises how opacity, probabilistic enforcement and metricised visibility jointly shift silence from an interpersonal choice to a system-produced ethical condition. It also provides discriminators and boundary conditions that enable empirical falsification across platforms.
Purpose This study aims to synthesize evidence on women’s cybersecurity risks, consolidate risk typologies, assess theoretical engagement, map methodological tendencies and identify multilevel determinants of these risks. Design/methodology/approach Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this study searched Scopus and Web of Science (2010–2025) and included 34 peer-reviewed studies using calibrated inclusion criteria. Guided by the SPIDER framework, qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods and conceptual designs were accommodated. Study quality was appraised with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. A deductive–inductive thematic synthesis identified risk types and determinants, while theoretical frameworks and methodological features were descriptively charted. Findings Three major risk domains emerged: interpersonal cyber abuse, data privacy and surveillance vulnerabilities and technology-facilitated coercion and control. Theoretical engagement was limited and fragmented. Methodologically, the field is dominated by quantitative self-report surveys, with fewer mixed-methods or longitudinal designs. Determinants of risk clustered across five mutually reinforcing levels: structural–cultural norms, institutional and organizational governance, sociotechnical affordances, datafication and commercial ecosystems and individual capacities and interactional dynamics. Originality/value This review highlights that women’s cybersecurity vulnerabilities are embedded in sociotechnical systems rather than isolated incidents. It emphasizes the need for mechanism-driven and intersectional theorization, diversified and longitudinal research designs, updated and validated measures, survivor-centered ethical protocols and governance and design interventions that address upstream structural conditions.
Purpose This study aims to create a clear framework for understanding how the metaverse is adopted in higher education, with particular attention to contextual, institutional and governance-related differences. While previous research has examined adoption from different angles, there is still no unified model that incorporates the various factors affecting adoption at the individual, pedagogical, technological, organizational, environmental, ethical and societal levels. Design/methodology/approach The framework is built through a review of existing literature. This study conducted a structured review of 76 peer-reviewed publications, including 67 journal articles, 3 conference papers, 5 book chapters and 1 other source. These were published from 2015 onward in major academic databases, focusing on studies that looked at adoption, acceptance, readiness or governance of the metaverse and related immersive technologies in higher education. A concept-focused synthesis helped organize adoption factors into seven connected themes. The references include 9 studies at the individual level, 11 at the pedagogical level, 10 at the technological level, 10 at the organizational level, 14 on environmental factors, 8 on ethical and governance issues and 10 on societal and future readiness. Findings The review shows that adoption is a complex process with connections across different levels. The study needs to consider individual readiness, pedagogical design and technological infrastructure together with organizational strategy, environmental pressures, ethical concerns and long-term societal effects. The proposed framework reflects these relationships by combining evidence from 76 studies into a structured overview across seven layers. Rather than assuming uniform adoption trajectories, the framework emphasizes how institutional context, governance conditions and resource asymmetries shape the feasibility, form and consequences of metaverse adoption across higher education systems. Originality/value By bringing together ideas from different theories and past studies, this paper presents a practical framework that enhances our understanding of how higher education can adopt the Metaverse. The framework not only offers a basis for future empirical testing but also provides a critical analytical lens for educators, institutions and policymakers to evaluate, adapt or contest Metaverse-based initiatives in light of institutional priorities, ethical responsibilities and contextual constraints.
Purpose This study aims to systematically review the emerging literature on ChatGPT in higher education, focusing on its applications, impacts and ethical implications from the perspectives of students and academic staff. By synthesising evidence across disciplines and geographical contexts, the review identifies key benefits such as enhanced learning efficiency and artificial intelligence (AI) literacy, alongside challenges including academic integrity risks and unequal access. The purpose is to provide a comprehensive, student-centred understanding of ChatGPT’s role in higher education and to offer actionable insights for policy, practice and future research. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a systematic literature review (SLR) guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses 2020 standards to ensure transparency and rigour. Papers were retrieved from SpringerLink, Scopus and ACM Digital Library using predefined search queries. Inclusion criteria focused on peer-reviewed journal papers published in English after November 2022 that directly examined ChatGPT in higher education. The final data set of 50 studies was thematically, geographically and field-specifically analysed to evaluate ChatGPT’s applications, benefits and challenges, offering comprehensive insights into its educational role. Findings The review reveals that ChatGPT offers substantial benefits in higher education, including enhanced learning efficiency, AI literacy, academic writing support and improved problem-solving. Programming and medicine emerged as the most examined disciplines, while the USA and UK dominated the research landscape. However, concerns persist regarding academic integrity, over-reliance, bias and unequal access to advanced features. Students’ and educators’ perceptions highlight both opportunities and risks, underscoring the need for tailored policies, revised assessment frameworks and inclusive practices to maximise benefits while safeguarding academic standards and equity. Research limitations/implications This study is limited by its focus on peer-reviewed journal papers published in English after November 2022, which may exclude relevant conference papers or non-English research. The analysis primarily reflects contexts in developed countries, with fewer insights from developing regions. In addition, the review concentrates on student and staff perspectives, leaving institutional and policy viewpoints less explored. Despite these constraints, the findings highlight critical implications: the need for geographically inclusive studies, broader disciplinary coverage and robust policies to balance ChatGPT’s benefits with academic integrity and equity in higher education. Practical implications The findings provide actionable insights for students, educators and policymakers. For students, ChatGPT offers personalised support, enhanced efficiency and opportunities to build AI literacy. Educators can leverage it for course design, feedback and assessment innovation, though careful validation of outputs is essential. Institutions should revise assessment frameworks to address AI-generated content and provide training to promote ethical, responsible use. Policymakers must balance the risks of academic misconduct with the benefits of AI-enhanced learning by developing clear, context-specific guidelines. Collectively, these measures ensure effective, equitable integration of ChatGPT into higher education practice. Social implications The integration of ChatGPT in higher education carries wide-ranging social implications. It can democratise access to knowledge, foster digital literacy and support students from diverse backgrounds, particularly in resource-limited settings. However, unequal access to premium features risks deepening the digital divide. Over-reliance may also undermine critical thinking and academic independence, raising ethical concerns about fairness and integrity. Addressing these issues requires inclusive policies and responsible adoption strategies to ensure that ChatGPT enhances learning opportunities equitably while safeguarding academic standards and preparing students for meaningful participation in an AI-driven society. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides one of the first SLRs dedicated to ChatGPT’s role in higher education, synthesising 50 peer-reviewed papers across disciplines and regions. Unlike existing reviews that focus broadly on AI or chatbots, this research specifically highlights student and academic staff perspectives, offering a nuanced, user-centred understanding of ChatGPT’s applications, benefits and challenges. By combining thematic, field-specific and geographical analyses, the study identifies research gaps, particularly in developing contexts and offers evidence-based recommendations. Its value lies in guiding educators, policymakers and researchers towards responsible, equitable and effective integration of ChatGPT into higher education.
Purpose Although previous research has explored links between misinformation and polarisation, it often overlooks the central role of social identity mechanisms. This study aims to examine the relationship between misinformation and polarisation, focusing on the underlying mechanisms of social identity and explaining how identity-driven processes shape the acceptance and dissemination of misinformation, as well as the intensification of opinion and affective polarisation. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a narrative integrative literature review approach, drawing on the social identity perspective and synthesising empirical evidence to develop a conceptual framework that explains the identity-based cognitive, emotional and behavioural processes connecting misinformation and polarisation. Findings The review identifies three key findings. Firstly, social identity drives group-based opinion and affective polarisation, and significantly increases the likelihood that individuals accept and share misinformation consistent with their group stance. Secondly, although misinformation and polarisation have a reciprocal causal relationship, their connection is fundamentally rooted in social identity mechanisms. Thirdly, the expressive function of identity is a key factor, indicating that both misinformation and polarisation are essentially derivative manifestations of social identity. Originality/value By identifying identity mechanisms as the root cause of these dynamics, this study offers an integrated analytical framework that clarifies the foundational role of social identity in misinformation and polarisation. This framework can guide future research and inform the design of targeted interventions to reduce the social and ethical risks of misinformation in digital media environments.
Purpose The development of artificial intelligence (AI) requires careful reflection. With advances in AI, there is a growing realization that some basic parameters of the human condition will change in the future, desirably or undesirably. AI technologies are neither good nor bad, but we must make a societal choice to embed fundamental human rights and democratic values when we design and use such technologies. A tool that can empower can also become a tool for mass surveillance or a tool for perpetuating discrimination. With promises of AI, we as a society must address its failings as well. In this paper, the author aims to propose that our morality may well weigh on the principled judgment on such technologies. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses the moral stages and the moral foundations theories to empirically explore whether people with particular moral orientations are likely to be at odds judging the usefulness of modern technologies that violate the rights to privacy or nondiscrimination. Findings The paper finds that the moral foundations theory has more explanatory power in the context of how people perceive the usefulness of AI technologies that violate fundamental human rights of privacy and nondiscrimination. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is an initial attempt linking morality with modern technologies that violate fundamental human rights of privacy and nondiscrimination.
PurposeDigital health literacy has emerged as a critical determinant of equitable healthcare delivery in the information society. This study aims to examine evolving trends, thematic patterns and ethical considerations, with a focus on global policy responses and technological developments in 2023–2025. Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Seventy-two studies published between 2015 and 2025 (with a small number of earlier studies retained due to their continued conceptual and ethical relevance) were selected through database searches (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) and manual reference checks. Data were extracted and synthesised thematically, integrating recent policy documents and conceptual analyses relevant to ethics and equity. FindingsFive dominant themes emerged: access and infrastructure inequities; misinformation and infodemic management; usability and user-centred design; health data poverty; and ethical governance. While digital health tools proliferated globally, disparities in access, representation and trust remain significant. Developments from 2023 to 2025 (e.g. artificial intelligence-driven health chatbots, TikTok-based health campaigns and updated World Health Organization infodemic guidelines) not only offer opportunities but also introduce new risks. Research limitations/implicationsThe findings position digital health literacy as a core ethical construct within information systems and health policy scholarship, extending digital divide theory beyond access and skills to include justice, autonomy and data representation. This reframing underscores the need to integrate ethical governance and power asymmetries into models of digital health adoption. Practical implicationsPolicymakers and health system designers should embed equity-by-design principles into digital health initiatives, prioritising inclusive usability, misinformation mitigation and representative data practices. Co-ordinated regulatory frameworks and targeted literacy interventions are essential to ensure emerging digital health technologies reduce, rather than reproduce, health inequalities. Originality/valueThis systematic review contributes to the discourse on information ethics in healthcare by explicitly linking digital health literacy to principles of justice, autonomy and beneficence. It offers a comprehensive synthesis that is policy-oriented, globally comparative and grounded in the latest literature.
Purpose This paper critically analyses Portuguese public policies for gender equality in the digital sphere (2017-2025) and documents gender inequality trends in the sector, as crucial ethical and societal dimensions of technologies. This paper aims to analyse the initial integration and later weakening of gender equality in digital transformation policies.Design/methodology/approach This paper adopts a mixed-methods design, drawing on empirical evidence from the project Women4Digital - Gender Equality in the Digital Transition in Portugal: what place for Women? It combines systematic mapping and qualitative document analysis of policy frameworks with a quantitative analysis of gender inequalities trends in ICT employment, based on administrative linked employer-employee data set (2007-2023), and qualitative data gathered from two focus groups.Findings Quantitative evidence confirms sizeable structural inequalities: women represent only around 21% of employment in ICT occupations, are markedly underrepresented in executive roles, and face more precarious working conditions. Policy cycles (2017-2025) peaked in 2021 by embedding EU funding conditionalities for structural change, followed by an institutional slowdown characterised by a shift back towards reinforcing symbolic "fix the women" approaches. Critical governance gaps persist: major investments are gender-blind, and new regulatory regimes risk undermining ethical enforcement against gendered online harms.Originality/value By framing digital regulation as a gendered institutional site, this paper brings feminist policy analysis into direct dialogue with digital ethics. It provides an original, longitudinal account of gender inequality trends that distinguishes ICT occupations from ICT-sector firms, while interrogating whether EU-driven digital governance architectures enable or constrain an inclusive, ethical and gender-just digital transformation. In doing so, it also shows how ethical and gender-blind design persists in fast-growing policy domains such as platform regulation, AI governance and cybersecurity.
Purpose This paper aims to assess whether government transparency about strategic communication (SC) policies affects citizens’ trust in government and their perceived “say” in public matters. Design/methodology/approach Using a cross-national sample (N = 28), the author estimate ordinary least squares (OLS) models and bootstrap confidence intervals. The author also perform principal component analysis (PCA) and k-means cluster analysis on six standardized indicators: SC transparency (dummy), gross domestic product per capita, good governance, social policy effectiveness, communication coherency (all Sustainable Governance Indicators expert scores), plus Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development measures of trust and “say”. The goal is to obtain ceteris paribus estimates of the association between SC transparency and the two outcome variables (Trust Score and Say Score), and to explore country groupings with similar trait profiles. Findings OLS models show no statistically significant predictors of Trust Score or Say Score, with one borderline exception: a one-point increase in the Coherency score is associated with a 14.38-point increase in Say Score. The two-cluster solution clearly separates countries: Cluster 1 scores higher on all analyzed indicators than Cluster 2 (all mean differences are statistically significant and effect sizes are large). Transparency differs sharply across clusters: in Cluster 2, 13 of 17 countries (76%) are non-transparent, whereas in Cluster 1 only 4 of 11 (36%) lack transparency. Originality/value The study directly addresses whether transparency about strategic communication “matters”. While OLS suggests no robust standalone effect, the cluster analysis indicates that SC transparency co-occurs with higher institutional quality and citizen attitudes.
Purpose This study aims to examine how university students ethically evaluate two uses of large language models (LLMs) in academic essay writing and, more centrally, whether ethical evaluations operate as empirical bottlenecks for behavioural intention across these scenarios. Using necessary condition analysis (NCA), the paper investigates whether higher intention co-occurs only when ratings on four ethical dimensions exceed minimum levels: moral justice (JU), relativism (RE), consequentialist evaluation (CO) and deontology (DE). Design/methodology/approach A sample of 151 students from two Spanish universities evaluated two scenarios: using an LLM to improve an already written essay and using it to generate most of the content. After each scenario, participants reported their behavioural intention and ethical assessments. Paired t-tests and repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) compared the scenarios, while NCA assessed whether each ethical dimension acted as a necessary condition for intention. Findings Ethical evaluations and intention to use LLMs were significantly higher in the editing scenario, indicating that students differentiate between uses with different moral intensities. Ratings in the generative scenario remained moderately positive, and intention slightly exceeded neutrality, revealing ambivalence. NCA indicated that, in this sample, low levels of JU, RE and CO were not observed alongside higher intention in either scenario, with less demanding bottlenecks in the generative scenario. DE emerged as a necessary condition only in the editing scenario; in the generative scenario, it did not appear as a bottleneck in the NCA sense. Research limitations/implications The convenience sample, self-reported measures and cross-sectional design limit generalisability and causal inference. Practical implications Findings underscore the need for differentiated institutional policies, strengthened ethics education and assessment redesign. Social implications The framework used here can be adapted to examine LLM use in domains with deeper moral stakes, helping anticipate ethical risks and guide responsible AI adoption in society. Originality/value This study extends research on students’ ethical evaluations of LLM use by introducing a necessary condition perspective, which is still rare in academic integrity research. Rather than only showing that one scenario is judged more acceptable than the other, the paper identifies which ethical dimensions act as empirical bottlenecks for intention and shows that these bottlenecks vary across scenarios. Within this framework, the asymmetric role of DE emerges as a substantive finding.
Purpose This study aims to present a review and analysis of research on metaverse and Sustainability, also reflecting its connection to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Design/methodology/approach A bibliometric and TCCM (Theory-Context-Characteristics-Methodology) mapping using the SPAR-4-SLR protocol of 72 journal articles indexed in Scopus published over 2004-2024 was conducted.Findings The study presents an integrative review of research on the metaverse-sustainability nexus. By categorising current research into four leading clusters (Technology Integration for Sustainable Systems across Sectors; Sustainable Urban Development and Smart Cities; Digital Transformation in Education and Organisations; Future Research and Emerging Areas in Digital Innovation), reframing sustainability as a construct reliant on governance and institutions rather than technology, mapping studies against SDGs and environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors, and proposing a comprehensive agenda for future research, this study organises what has previously been a disparate field, both synthesising current literature and pointing to future directions for theory building and empirical research.Research limitations/implications Articles published in SCOPUS-indexed journals between January 2004 and September 2024 were only considered, which poses a key limitation for the study.Practical implications The UN's SDGs could be advanced through metaverse applications ranging from immersive learning experiences (Goal 4) to simulating climate risk exposure and creating digital twins of smart energy-efficient cities (Goals 9, 11 and 13). For businesses, extended reality, artificial intelligence and blockchain can improve ESG outcomes such as traceability, sustainable supply chains and waste reduction. But risks around data privacy, algorithmic bias, energy consumption and governance must be managed by policymakers. Furthermore, by embedding low-carbon technologies, transparent institutions and participatory governance into the metaverse from the outset, this study can avoid reducing digital inequities.Originality/value This review provides an intellectual mapping of the field, along with a critical assessment of its alignment with sustainability and the SDGs using the TCCM Framework.
Purpose Data privacy is a crucial issue in e-commerce because it directly influences consumer trust and regulatory compliance. This study aims to investigate the status of privacy practices on Saudi e-commerce websites before the enforcement of the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), focusing on transparency, consent and discrepancies between Arabic and English privacy policies. Design/methodology/approach The research examined privacy policies from 17 Saudi e-commerce websites using qualitative text analysis. Policies were evaluated for clarity, consent mechanisms, notification practices and data disposal provisions, with special attention to differences between Arabic and English versions. Findings The results show that 70% of policies did not provide consumers with clear choices about sharing data, and 65% used ambiguous language when explaining data collection. In addition, 40% of the websites had discrepancies between Arabic and English policies, with English versions generally clearer and better aligned with regulatory requirements. Many websites lacked strong mechanisms for notification, consent and data disposal. Research limitations/implications This research paper is restricted to the content analysis of privacy policies as publicly stated by 17 Saudi e-commerce websites. While the selection process was rigorous, the sample size inherently limits the generalizability of the findings. It, nevertheless, does not appraise actual implementation or enforcement of these privacy policies in actual sense, i.e. the working practices. Therefore, the findings may not be fully reflective of how privacy protection is applied and followed by these enterprises. Future research must comprise empirical data, user experience, compliance auditing or organizational behavior, to evaluate the efficacy and realistic observation of privacy regulations. Practical implications Businesses should strengthen privacy policies, ensure consistency across languages, and adopt transparent consent and disposal mechanisms. Regulators can use these findings to refine PDPL enforcement. Social implications Discrepancies between Arabic and English policies create exclusion risks for Arabic-speaking users, weakening trust. Improving inclusivity and transparency can enhance digital trust and consumer empowerment. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides a unique baseline assessment of Saudi e-commerce privacy practices and is the first to systematically compare Arabic and English policies, offering valuable insights for regulators and businesses in emerging digital markets.
