THE PRICE OF A CLICK: A BIOETHICAL REFLECTION ON THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE DIGITAL SOCIETY

Abstract

In an era when digital technologies and socialnetworks shape all aspects of life, the question of their sustainability and ethical consequences becomes crucial.
This paper examines the hidden ecological, social, and health costs of digital presence through a bioethical analysis. Behind every click and virtual interaction stands
a material infrastructure that consumes enormous amounts of energy, generates greenhouse gas emissions and depends on resources often obtained through the
exploitation of the most vulnerable communities, especially children in the countries of the Global South. By analysing the ecological footprint of data centres, the material
cost of digital devices and the problem of e-waste, the paper shows how the growth of digital society is unsustainably burdening planetary resources. At the same time, the rapid development of artifi cial intelligence is further increasing energy demands and
raising new bioethical questions. Special focus is placed on digital injustice and the exploitation of child labour in supply chains, and on the impact of social networks and
algorithmic systems on children’s mental health, language development and behaviour. The paper also critically examines greenwashing practices in the technology industry and the geopolitical tensions that digital infrastructure generates today. Through the
application of the fundamental principles of bioethics – benefi cence, non-malefi cence, autonomy, and justice – the need for a comprehensive approach is articulated, one
that includes the ethical design of technologies, strengthening regulation, empowering users, and promoting global responsibility. In conclusion, the paper emphasises that the sustainability of the digital society is not a technical problem. Still, a deep moral issue that requires the integration of bioethical principles into every aspect of the development, application and management of digital technologies, to create a safer, more justand more sustainable digital world for allgenerations.