Ethical Responsibility and AI-Driven Transparency in TikTok Live Commerce Ecosystems: A Systematic Literature Review
Description
The development of TikTok Live Commerce has transformed digital marketing practices by integrating live broadcasting, social commerce, and artificial intelligence (AI)-based recommendation systems. While providing significant opportunities for MSMEs, particularly in the women's fashion sector, the use of AI in content distribution and product promotion also raises various ethical challenges related to algorithm transparency, platform accountability, consumer protection, and risk disclosure of circulating product information. This study aims to analyze the relationship between ethical responsibility, AI-based transparency, platform governance, and consumer behavior in the TikTok Live Commerce ecosystem. The method used is a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) adapting the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Data were obtained from scientific articles indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Emerald Insight, Taylor & Francis, and Google Scholar published between 2020 and 2026. This study identified five main themes: transparency, algorithms, and accountability; ethical responsibility of influencers and affiliates; product information coverage and consumer vulnerability; consumer trust and protection; and platform governance and AI ethical regulation. The research findings show that algorithm transparency, ethical marketing communications, and responsible platform governance play a crucial role in building consumer trust and a desire for direct commerce. This research has implications for MSMEs, digital platforms, and regulators in designing a more transparent, ethical, and consumer-protection-oriented digital commerce ecosystem.
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This study employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with a qualitative-descriptive approach to examine ethical responsibility, algorithmic transparency, platform governance, and consumer behavior within the TikTok Live Commerce ecosystem. The SLR method was selected because it enables a systematic, transparent, and replicable process for identifying, evaluating, and synthesizing relevant literature. The review process followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines to ensure a structured literature search, screening, selection, and analysis procedure. The literature was collected from several reputable academic databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Emerald Insight, Taylor & Francis Online, and Google Scholar as a supporting source. The search strategy utilized keywords related to TikTok Live Commerce, live streaming commerce, social commerce, algorithmic transparency, AI ethics, algorithmic governance, consumer trust, influencer marketing, platform governance, purchase intention, impulse buying, and consumer protection. Only peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2026, written in English, available in full text, and directly relevant to the research objectives were included in the review. The article selection process was conducted based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eligible studies included empirical research, conceptual papers, systematic reviews, and bibliometric reviews focusing on TikTok, live commerce, AI ethics, transparency, governance, and consumer behavior. Articles lacking full-text access, clear methodologies, or academic rigor, as well as editorials and opinion papers, were excluded. The selected studies were subsequently evaluated for relevance and scientific quality before being included in the final synthesis. Data analysis was carried out using thematic analysis and content analysis to identify recurring patterns, relationships among concepts, and dominant research trends. The findings were categorized according to conceptual similarities and theoretical contributions. The review identified five major themes: algorithmic transparency and accountability in TikTok Live Commerce; ethical responsibilities of influencers, affiliates, and livestream hosts; misleading product information and consumer vulnerability; trust, authenticity, and consumer protection in AI-based social commerce; and platform governance and AI ethics regulation. These themes were then integrated into a conceptual framework combining Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) Theory, Consumer Trust Theory, Algorithmic Governance Theory, and the Digital Ethics Framework to explain how AI-driven systems, ethical practices, and platform governance influence consumer behavior in TikTok Live Commerce.
Institutions
- Binus UniversityJakarta, Jakarta