NEUROETHICS IN DIGITAL CONTRACT BREACH: A STUDY OF MORALITY AND DECISION-MAKING IN PLATFORM-BASED TRANSACTIONS

Abstract

The digital age has introduced new and complex patterns of contract breaches that extend beyond traditional civil law frameworks into the realm of moral and cognitive behavior. As digital transactions become increasingly mediated by platforms, users’ decisions are often shaped not only by legal norms but also by psychological tendencies, cognitive biases, and the unique nature of virtual environments. This article explores how decision-making processes involved in the breach of digital contracts—such as subscription fraud, identity manipulation, and the misuse of trial-based services—can be examined through the interdisciplinary lens of neuroethics and non-criminal deviant behavior. Drawing upon insights from civil law, moral philosophy, and cognitive neuroscience, the study argues that certain contract violations are driven by internal justifications, reduced empathy in digital contexts, and utilitarian thinking patterns, rather than clear intentional wrongdoing. The research utilizes a normative-qualitative legal approach, contextualized within Indonesian civil law, while engaging broader interdisciplinary discourse. The objective is to demonstrate how civil law responses can be enriched by understanding the underlying neurocognitive and moral dimensions of contractual misconduct in digital settings. Ultimately, the paper proposes a shift in how we perceive accountability and legal responsibility in platform-based interactions—not merely as violations of formal obligations, but as moral choices influenced by human cognitive architecture. This perspective can contribute to a more adaptive and human-centered legal framework in addressing emerging legal challenges in the digital economy.

Keywords: Digital contracts. Neuroethics. Moral decision-making. Deviant behavior.