Consumer Behavior and Digital Services Competence, Rights and Protection

Introduction  1. The Conditions and Trends of Digital Services Development  2. Consumers in the Digital Services Market  3. Consumer Competence in the Digitalization Era  4. E-Consumer Safety in the Digital Age  5. Cybersecurity Awareness, Trust, and AI-Related Risks in Digital Environments  Conclusions

Biography

Alicja Fandrejewska-Nowakowska is Assistant Professor at the Institute of Management at Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland. Her research interests focus on consumer behavior, digital transformation, knowledge and learning processes in contemporary organizations, as well as the role of digital technologies and cybersecurity in education, management, and sustainable development.

Monika Eisenbardt is Assistant Professor at the University of Economics in Katowice, Poland. Her research interests focus on business informatics, knowledge management, business–consumer knowledge exchange in digital environments, as well as the application of artificial intelligence in education and organizations.

Tomasz Eisenbardt is Assistant Professor at University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland. His areas of interest include computer science and business informatics. In particular, his research focuses on virtual learning environments, digital transformation, management information systems, the role of digital technologies in education and organizational development, applications of AI, data engineering, and information systems modeling.

Consumer Behaviour and Digital Services: Competence, Rights and Protection is a timely and thought-provoking exploration of today’s rapidly evolving digital services landscape, placing the consumer firmly at the heart of the discussion on digital transformation. Drawing on technological, legal and behavioural perspectives, and grounded in empirical research, the authors offer a rich and accessible understanding of digital skills, cybersecurity awareness, consumer rights, and the emerging risks linked to technologies such as artificial intelligence.

In an age of accelerating digitalisation, the book addresses some of the most urgent challenges facing consumers, regulators and service providers. It moves beyond purely technical or business-focused narratives, showing how people actually experience and navigate increasingly complex digital environments. By bridging theory with real-world implications, the authors provide practical, evidence-based insights into strengthening digital literacy, improving cybersecurity awareness, and enhancing consumer protection frameworks.

The book stands as a highly relevant and valuable reference for researchers, policymakers, and professionals engaged in shaping safer, more inclusive, and more resilient digital markets.

- Dr. Les Dolega, Senior Lecturer in GIS and Human Geography at the University of Liverpool, UK.

Consumer Behavior and Digital Services: Competence, Rights and Protection is an exceptionally timely and highly relevant contribution to contemporary research on digital transformation and consumer functioning in technology-driven environments. At a moment when digital services, artificial intelligence, platform ecosystems, and data-driven technologies are rapidly reshaping everyday life, this book addresses some of the most pressing challenges faced by modern consumers and societies.

What makes this publication particularly valuable is its strong focus on the consumer perspective in increasingly complex digital environments. The book offers an insightful and up-to-date discussion of critical issues such as digital competences, cybersecurity awareness, misinformation, trust in online information, AI-generated content, and the growing risks associated with the expansion of advanced technologies. These topics are not only academically important, but also socially and politically urgent.

The authors successfully connect technological development with questions of consumer rights, protection, awareness, and responsible participation in digital ecosystems. Especially noteworthy is the discussion of emerging AI-related risks and the difficulties consumers face in assessing the credibility of information and navigating digital environments safely and confidently. In this regard, the book makes a significant contribution to ongoing debates surrounding digital literacy, ethical technology adoption, and the future of consumer protection in the era of artificial intelligence.

This publication will be of great value to academics, researchers, policymakers, educators, and practitioners interested in digital services, consumer behavior, cybersecurity, and the societal implications of technological change. It is a thoughtful, well-structured, and much-needed contribution to understanding how individuals interact with rapidly evolving digital environments and how safer, more transparent, and more human-centered digital ecosystems can be developed.

- Joanna Krywalski Santiago, PhD, ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics and Management, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.