Consumer Autonomy and Social Technology: The Case of Social Media Algorithms and the Metaverse

Consumer autonomy is a central concept in marketing ethics: it is a pre-condition of informed decision making and, as such, a crucial principle which marketers must respect, safeguard and perhaps even promote. Traditional debate on consumer autonomy has focused on the extent to which persuasive advertising undermines the conditions of autonomous choice. Recently, technological advances as well as insights into the biological underpinnings of human choice and self-control have reignited interest into consumer autonomy. This article discusses the impact of social technology (particularly social media algorithms and the metaverse) on consumer autonomy. Based on a tripartite definition of autonomy, we demonstrate how social technology may have a positive impact on autonomy in general but poses real challenges to one specific type of autonomy. We then discuss two contemporary problems—perceived versus actual autonomy, and genetic causation of consumer behaviour—and use the tripartite definition to explain why these apparent threats to consumer autonomy may not undermine autonomy after all.