Cultural, Ethical and Legal Considerations of Using Social Media Marketing in Karachi-Pakistan

Abstract

Social media includes Facebook, Linked Inn, Twitter, etc. that have exorbitantly grown in usage and popularity around all sectors and corners of the world. From children and youth to elderly people, billions of people have become fond of social media and this has revolutionized the digital age. The marketers have been exploiting this platform for better serving their customers. Countless companies around the globe have their accounts and pages on Facebook, Twitter, etc. However, there are evidences about mainstream merits to deviant demerits of social media and its marketing, such as users or consumers found in using abusive language, uploading pornography stuff, leakage of users’ pictures and personal information to others, like various online marketing companies and undercover agencies, and E-marketing frauds. The purpose of this probe is to discover the cultural, ethical, and legal considerations in social media marketing. This is a qualitative investigation that applies inductive approach that is conducted through six semi-structured interviews – analyzed through code book, protocols, and transcripts method, and one focus group session of eleven university students cum working professionals - analyzed via descriptive-narrative method. The findings reveal the cultural and ethical concerns that the users/consumers have about social media marketing and there is a dire need of a sound legitimate framework to safeguard their interests especially regarding unethical content, secrecy of their personal data, and E-marketing frauds.