Examining the perceptions of university students on the concept of digital footprint and ethics: Aksaray University example

Technological developments and transformations experienced from the past to the present continue at a great pace today. With this developing and transforming technological progress, concepts such as digital transformation, digital ethics, artificial intelligence technologies, digital data, privacy, and surveillance are taking their place on the social agenda. Technological transformations that facilitate and accelerate human life have also brought with them a number of ethical problems. In this context, the study aims to examine the digital footprints formed as a result of individuals' use of digital technology and the ethical perception and awareness levels towards these footprints. For the method part of the study, a survey was conducted with the participation of a total of 340 students who actively continue their education in various units of Aksaray University. When the research results are examined, it was determined that the participants' perceptions of the concept of ethics were generally high, their digital footprint awareness was high, but their knowledge of the concept of digital footprint was low.