Nudge in perspective: A systematic literature review on the ethical issues with nudging

Abstract

In this article, we systematically review the literature on the ethics of nudging. Since the publication of the book Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein in 2008, a rich literature has been developed on the question whether it is ethical to nudge people. This is an important area for research as nudges are commonly used by governments and private corporations to alter the behaviour of citizens and consumers. In order to gain a complete overview of this literature, we conduct a systematic search of academic sources. We investigate which ethical issues with nudging are discussed. We find four major ethical issues, namely worries regarding 1) autonomy, 2) welfare, 3) long-term adverse effects, and 4) democracy and deliberation. We discuss each ethical issue by highlighting how it is defined, what the critique constitutes, what its sub-issues are, and which defences of nudging have been argued for. In this way, the systematic literature review provides a comprehensive overview of the literature on the ethics of nudging to date. The results of our systematic review contribute to a better understanding of the ethical issues with nudging, as well as of the current state of the literature on these topics.

Smartphone Apps for Food Purchase Choices: Scoping Review of Designs, Opportunities, and Challenges

“…The use of digital technology for behavior change can raise important ethical concerns [ 104 - 106 ] as these technologies have the potential to be manipulative. This review did not systematically assess the ethical concerns that might be associated with the app designs or the approaches that were taken to mitigate manipulative potential (ie, design approaches that respect individual needs and priorities, such as participatory design [ 107 - 109 ] or user-centered design).…”

Are behavioral economics interventions effective in increasing colorectal cancer screening uptake: A systematic review of evidence and meta-analysis?

“…Nudges can also have adverse consequences. For example, violation of independence, doubts about positive welfare effects, long-term adverse effects and distortion of democracy and deliberation [ 77 ]. The effect size of BE interventions has been reported differently in studies.…”

“…Nudges can also have adverse consequences. For example, violation of independence, doubts about positive welfare effects, long-term adverse effects and distortion of democracy and deliberation [ 77 ]. The presence of evidence about the minor effects of nudges does not diminish the role of psychological factors in changing behavior.…”

Nudge Theory and Legal Protection of Whistleblowers

“…The above proposals, preliminary in nature and indicating only selected possibilities for action, based on nudge theory, should be analyzed from the ethical perspective -it is worth considering the validity of nudging in the context of the ethical problems associated with it, reported in the literature. For example, Kuyer and Gordijn identified the ethical problems regarding autonomy, welfare, long-term adverse effects, and democracy and deliberation (Kuyer, Gordijn 2023). Of course, the concerns mainly relate to the use of nudges for profit-making activities, where the room for abuse is wide (especially in areas where there is strong asymmetry of information in the market).…”

“…For these reasons, it is pointed out that nudging is influencing people's actions without their awareness, a kind of manipulation and "working 'in the dark'" (Ivanković, Engelen 2019). There are also analyses of the ethical aspects of nudging (see Kuyer, Gordijn 2023). I will return to these studies below, reflecting on the ethical side of using nudging to strengthen the effectiveness of whistleblowing regulations.…”