BDMA Research Memorandum eTHOS (Ethical and social transitions in online/offline direct marketing): central research issues and research questions (extended version – background information)

BDMA has asked the VUB to provide an answer to the following question: Can we improve our deontological code to increase trust between our partners and our consumers? BDMA wanted to revise and update their deontological tools. The changing media environment changed the ways of collecting and organizing data and these need to be ethically framed as well. Given the limited time and resources, our findings are above all a 'work in progress', only exploratory and capable of trend spotting, and hence not fit for definite conclusions. We will overview the development of data protection in Europe, some technological and social changes and how we need to rethink our moral standards. Afterwards we make some recommendations for BDMA and direct marketing in general.