Data-driven gamification refers to the use of
data collection and data science methods together with gamification practices in order to
improve the selected aspects of a service or
a product. As new innovations cause new
ethical questions, this study surveys possible
ethical problems of data-driven gamification.
Precisely, we focus on the ethical question of
using data collected from a user to modify
behaviour of the user. Instead of a clearly
bright or dark side of the force, we focus on
the ethically grey area where intentions might
be ethically justified while the results are
not. To discuss this dilemma, we borrow the
concept of ‘Datenherrschaft’—mastery over
information—and present a philosophical inquiry of five cases: Leisure, Governmental,
Healthcare, Educational and Workplace solutions. As a result, this study shows that there
are clearly ethical issues, different shades of
grey, related to the data-driven gamification
and future work is needed in order assess, analyze and answer the presented problems.