Embedding Ethics and Justice in Digital Public Administration: Safeguarding Privacy, Legitimacy, and Public Trust
Keywords:
digital ethics, privacy, public trust, data protection, accountability, transparency, public administrationAbstract
Digitalization is transforming public administration, promising more efficient processes and transparent governance. However, this transformation has generated considerable ethical and procedural challenges, particularly regarding privacy, data security, and the moral use of technology by state actors. This study employs a qualitative literature review and thematic synthesis to critically assess how deficiencies in privacy protection and ethical digital literacy among public administrators affect public trust, perceptions of justice, accountability, and the integrity of governance. Findings indicate that weak data protection mechanisms and lack of clear recourse in the event of privacy breaches contribute directly to diminished trust and erode the legitimacy of public institutions. Similarly, insufficient ethical digital literacy amplifies the risk of opacity, impedes effective accountability, and reduces the perceived fairness of technology-driven public administration. These conditions foster systematic inequities and perpetuate alienation, especially among marginalized groups. The review underscores the need for public administrators to embed ethical reasoning, participatory approaches, and robust security measures into the architecture of digital governance. Government bodies are urged to prioritize ethical training, engage citizens in privacy policy design, and foster open communication to restore and sustain legitimacy in the digital era. Technological modernization can only fulfill its promise if ethics and justice are treated as foundational imperatives, not afterthoughts, within the evolving ecosystem of public administration.
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