The rapid evolution of digital technologies has reshaped communication and marketing practices by expanding the use of multiple digital channels. These platforms provide effective opportunities for influencing individuals’ attitudes and behaviors, making them valuable tools for social marketing initiatives aimed at promoting responsible digital practices and strengthening digital etiquette (Al-Qotaje et al., 2026). As the world today is witnessing rapid transformations led by modern technology and the digitization of societies, which has made digital behavior an essential element in shaping the behavior of individuals (Causio et al., 2025). Internet technologies have become an integral part of daily life, providing broad possibilities for communication, but at the same time they require high responsibility and commitment to digital etiquette as a socio-cultural phenomenon resulting from the development of digital civilization This development has contributed to reshaping traditional social values and norms, and has highlighted the need for digital etiquette as a normative and ethical regulator of communication in the virtual environment (Issembayeva & Seyitkazy, 2025).

In contemporary literature, several theoretical frameworks have been proposed to explain digital behavior, the most prominent of which are the digital citizenship framework and behavior change theories. Digital citizenship focuses on identifying the knowledge, values, and skills necessary for responsible participation in the digital environment, while behavior change theories focus on explaining the psychological and cognitive factors that influence the adoption or avoidance of behavior. Despite the importance of these frameworks in explaining digital behavior, However, it focuses primarily on explaining behavior or determining its characteristics, and does not adequately provide practical intervention mechanisms through which educational institutions can influence and enhance the targeted behavior in the long term. In contrast, social marketing is characterized as an applied framework directed towards bringing about voluntary behavioral change that achieves social benefit. Social marketing gains its distinction from other frameworks explaining behavior through the reference standards set by Andreasen (2002). Which includes focusing on behavior change, conducting target audience research, segmentation, exchange, marketing mix, and analyzing behavioral competition. These criteria help distinguish between social marketing and other frameworks of behavioral or social change, because they are not limited to explaining behavior only, but rather provide practical mechanisms for designing interventions capable of influencing and enhancing the target behavior (Suggs & Speranza, 2022). The success of digital transformation extends beyond the availability of technological infrastructure, as it is also shaped by organizational values and behavioral practices that encourage transparency, accountability, participation, and the responsible adoption of digital technologies (Ghareeb et al., 2026). The effectiveness of digital environments extends beyond technological advancement, as it is also influenced by users’ trust, awareness, and responsible behavioral practices (Awni et al., 2026). Accordingly, digital etiquette can be conceptualized as a critical behavioral framework that promotes ethical and responsible digital participation. In this context, social marketing is regarded as a strategic approach for shaping individuals’ attitudes, enhancing awareness, and encouraging socially desirable digital behaviors. From this perspective, social marketing is not adopted in the present study merely as an interpretive framework, but as an intervention-oriented framework that offers practical mechanisms for strengthening digital etiquette among university students, particularly within digitally mediated environments.

In light of the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research’s move towards digitization, local university education is witnessing a rapid shift towards a digital environment, which has produced new practices and behaviors among students within e-learning spaces. Despite the opportunities this shift provides for interaction, creativity, and knowledge exchange, it may reveal aspects of the shortcomings in some students’ commitment to digital etiquette Whether in communicating via academic platforms or in using electronic resources in a responsible and ethical manner, such as publishing inappropriate comments, sharing information without permission, etc. The US Development Bank report (2025) indicates that digital behaviors require users and developers to practice conscious and responsible behavior that protects users from misuse of technology, such as cyberbullying and exploitation of personal data, and in return promotes the development of technologies that support and enhance social welfare and human rights (Latorre et al., 2025). The World Health Organization also directly confirmed this problem, as it indicated in its report issued in 2025 that: «Research has reinforced the existence of multiple online risks to the mental health, physical health, and well-being of young people, with a strong consensus that the stages of biological and cognitive development of children and adolescents make them particularly vulnerable to online harm» (WHO, 2025). This reflects the complex nature of digital behavior and highlights the need for effective interventions that promote awareness and safe use of technology.

The current study was based on the Theory of Planned Behavior as an appropriate framework for explaining the role of social marketing practices in promoting digital etiquette, as it assumes that behavioral intention represents the direct determinant of behavior, and is affected by three main variables: orientation towards behavior, subjective standards, and perceived behavioral control (Li et al., 2024). Trend refers to the individual’s evaluation of behavior, while subjective standards reflect the social pressures and expectations that influence his decisions, while perceived behavioral control expresses the individual’s awareness of his ability to practice behavior in light of the skills and resources he possesses. The theory confirms that enhancing these variables contributes to strengthening behavioral intention and increasing the likelihood of practicing the targeted behavior (Pinheiro et al., 2023: 1880-1882). Studies have also indicated the importance of including moral commitment within the model to increase its ability to explain behaviors of an ethical nature (Li et al., 2024). Therefore, the impact of social marketing practices in promoting digital etiquette can be explained by creating positive attitudes towards responsible digital behavior, promoting social norms that support it, and developing individuals’ awareness of their ability to adhere to it. Bandora’s Social Learning Theory is also a complementary framework for explaining the acquisition of desired digital behaviors, as it assumes that individuals learn through observation, imitation, and modeling within the social environment (Al-Mandlawi, 2024). The learning process takes place through four main stages: attention, retention, imitation, and motivation (Istiqomah, 2021). From this perspective, social marketing practices can be viewed as tools that contribute to disseminating and enhancing positive digital behavioral models, helping individuals acquire digital etiquette through observation, imitation, and social reinforcement. This makes the theories of planned behavior and social learning a suitable theoretical framework for explaining the relationship between social marketing practices and digital etiquette.

In this context, social marketing practices have emerged as an influential approach for promoting positive behavioral change. By encouraging socially desirable behaviors and discouraging harmful ones, these practices contribute to improving individual well-being and enhancing the welfare of society as a whole (Galiano-Coronil et al., 2024). This growing recognition has increased scholarly interest in understanding the theoretical foundations and historical development of social marketing.

The origins of social marketing can be traced back to the early 1950s, when Wiebe raised the question of whether marketing principles could be applied to address social problems by asking, “Why can’t brotherhood be sold like soap?” In an article published in Public Opinion Quarterly during the winter of 1951–1952, he argued that applying marketing practices in nonprofit campaigns could contribute to more effective solutions to social problems, thereby laying the foundation for the emergence of social marketing as a distinct field of study (Joy, 2019).

Social marketing seeks to promote the public good by encouraging positive behavioral change through the application of behavioral, psychological, and marketing principles to address societal problems (Shekhar & Venugopal, 2025). Its importance also lies in raising public awareness of social and health ills through field campaigns that aim to bring about change in public behavior and enhance its awareness of issues affecting society (Hasnaa & Ryan, 2023). In the same context, social marketing was established as a strategy to address social problems, as it reflects the application of advanced marketing techniques to social issues that can be solved through behavior change. It has been used in many successful projects that aimed to change healthy behavior within society, in addition to its role in creating supportive public opinion that motivates society to participate positively in solving the problems it faces This is done by encouraging individuals to move away from negativity and indifference and enhancing their role in bringing about change and development within society (Arif & Ahmed, 2025).

Khatti-Dizabadi et al. (2024) identified four key dimensions of social marketing practices: social product, social pricing, social distribution, and social promotion. The social product may take the form of a service, an idea, or a desired behavioral change, such as initiatives aimed at reducing digital stress, limiting excessive smartphone use, and promoting digital well-being. In this regard, social products play an important role in fostering digital etiquette by encouraging individuals to adopt responsible online behaviors and adhere to ethical standards in digital interactions, thereby contributing to a safer and more respectful digital environment (Arenas-Escaso et al., 2024; Orzikulova et al., 2024).

The social product also refers to the issue or topic that the campaign seeks to promote or change, as it must be relevant to the needs and problems of society and provide effective solutions to improve the lives of individuals (Kharfan & Khairuddin, 2024). Within the framework of recent digital developments, Orzikulova et al. (2024) developed Time2Stop, an intelligent and adaptive system based on artificial intelligence to reduce the overuse of smartphones, which represents an example of modern digital social products. A study (Arenas-Escaso et al., 2024) also indicated that digital initiatives such as free digital tourism can contribute to enhancing social well-being and improving quality of life. The social price, it is represented by the effort made to adopt the new behavior (Kegoro, 2020), such as self-control to use the phone, which is an influential factor in reducing over-reliance on technology (Li et al., 2025), The role of pricing in social marketing strategy is often secondary, as social campaigns mainly aim to educate the consumer and rationalize his behavior, in addition to serving individuals and society. That is, the primary goal is not to achieve profits, and if some social products are priced, this is often a symbolic price to cover costs, and sometimes to give appreciation and respect to this product (Hasnaa and Ryan, 2023).

While social promotion (Social Promotion) focuses on using various means of communication to spread awareness and influence the behavior of individuals in a way that supports the achievement of social goals. Fayaz (2022) showed that promotion is the process of delivering information to the target audience, and a study (Zhao et al., 2024) indicated that the PauseNow application represents a digital intervention to enhance digital well-being, as it promotes digital healthy behavior through continuous reminders and alerts that redirect the user towards his original intentions,Social promotion focuses on raising awareness by using media and awareness messages to promote healthy digital behaviors through preventive digital applications and interventions (Saud, 2022; Akbar et al., 2023; Zhao et al., 2024; Wu et al., 2025).

Kegoro (2020) focused on the fact that the social distribution dimension is measured by indicators such as adaptability, consumption time, and delivery method, ensuring that interventions reach the target group effectively. For example, Apple and Google have introduced a range of features and apps to help reduce distraction and enhance the user’s digital well-being, such as SPACE and GDW apps, which provide a digital environment that helps users eliminate technology distraction and balance phone and life use (Almourad et al., 2021). The study (Sivakumar et al., 2023) aims to investigate the effectiveness of social media as digital channels for knowledge exchange between college and university students, and its role in supporting the educational process. The results showed that digital platforms represent an effective means of disseminating information and exchanging knowledge, enhancing students’ motivation and improving their academic performance, and providing an appropriate digital environment to encourage students’ participation and interaction Making it a living example of effective digital distribution channels for social products and services in higher education institutions.

In today’s interconnected world, understanding digital etiquette is essential to maintaining safe and respectful online interactions (Ab Wahab, 2024), and after reviewing many studies, research and scientific literature related to the concept of digital etiquette such as the study of Abdul Tawab (2020), Al-Shehri (2021), and Haroun and Hassouna (2022). The researchers summarized it in five basic dimensions that represent the main axes on which digital behavior is built. The technological dimension is represented in the individual’s awareness of using information technology, and his mastery of the rules of digital communication such as writing email and using platforms in a professional manner, while the ethical dimension is concerned with adhering to ethical rules derived from religion, law, and societal norms, while respecting privacy and the rights of others, avoiding abuse, protecting personal information, and reviewing content before publishing it to ensure that it is not misused (Abdel Tawab, 2020; Al-Shehri, 2021; Haroun & Hassouna, 2022). The social dimension includes polite behaviors that regulate individuals’ interaction within the digital environment, such as taking responsibility, effective communication, respecting other opinions, and positive participation that reflects the spirit of cooperation within the digital community (Abdul Tawab, 2020; Al-Shehri, 2021; Haroun & Hassouna, 2022). Social media is a tool for instilling social values and teaching acceptable interaction styles (Neumann & Rhodes, 2023), but it can present challenges such as overreliance and digital bullying in its various forms, making digital moral and social education essential to ensure respectful and responsible interaction within the digital space (Rini et al., 2023). The health dimension includes the behaviors that individuals should practice while using digital technology, as part of digital etiquette, such as healthy sitting, organizing the duration of use, and paying attention to basic meals to ensure a balance between healthy living and digital use. This dimension is linked to awareness of the risks resulting from excessive use of technology, as it may lead to depression, anxiety, isolation, and sleep disorders. The World Health Organization has classified Internet addiction as one of the global problems affecting sleep, motivation, memory, relationships, and quality of life, due to its similarity to addiction to harmful substances (Dresp-Langley & Hutt, 2022). To address these effects, healthy behavior change (HBC) interventions have emerged that adopt psychological and behavioral approaches to improve diet, physical activity, sleep, and reduce the use of harmful substances. Although traditional interventions are effective, they are expensive, making digital alternatives more scalable (Sawyer et al., 2023). Digital health awareness has also emerged as a new determinant of health, enabling individuals to use digital technologies to access health information and employ it in problem solving, reflecting the integration of health awareness with digital awareness (Qiu et al., 2025). The security dimension is concerned with protecting accounts, personal information, and files from any unauthorized interference or access (Haroun & Hassouna, 2022) and is increasingly important in the digital higher education environment, which requires advanced awareness of cyber security to ensure the safe use of technologies. Information security is based on the principles of the Triangle (CIA): confidentiality, integrity, availability, non-repudiation and credibility as elements that enhance digital trust. Effective awareness of information security based on understanding personal protocols and responsibilities is also an essential element for protecting organizations, and is not limited to measuring awareness, but includes evaluating the impact of security initiatives in reducing human errors and promoting preventive behaviors (Bognár & Bottyán, 2024).

Despite the growing interest in studying digital etiquette within educational settings, most previous studies have primarily focused on describing the level of digital behavior among students or analyzing its influencing factors, without moving toward adopting applied approaches capable of achieving actual and sustainable behavioral change within the digital university environment. In contrast, the literature on social marketing has largely concentrated on traditional areas such as health, environmental issues, and preventive behaviors, with limited attention given to its application in the field of digital behavior, particularly digital etiquette. Furthermore, there is a noticeable lack—within the researchers’ knowledge of Arab and Iraqi studies that have directly examined the relationship between the dimensions of social marketing practices (social product, price, promotion, and distribution) and digital etiquette among university students. Accordingly, there is a need to develop a framework that links these two variables and to empirically test this relationship within a local digital academic context, which the current study seeks to address. In light of the above, it is important and necessary to conduct this research in a new local and digital environment and among new users, namely students of the University of Fallujah in Iraq, with the aim of building responsible digital awareness. Here, a major important question arises that can be raised: (What is the role of social marketing practices in enhancing digital behavior?), and how, through these practices, students can be directed towards using technology and digital platforms in a responsible, healthy and safe manner, which contributes to developing a digital educational environment based on respect, awareness and commitment to digital etiquette.

Therefore, the theoretical contribution of the current study is to expand the scope of social marketing applications from traditional fields related to health and the environment to the digital and educational field, by testing its ability to explain and enhance digital etiquette among university students, which contributes to enriching the literature related to digital behavior and provides a theoretical basis that can be relied upon in future studies.

The findings indicate that social marketing practices have contributed significantly to enhancing digital etiquette among students at the University of Fallujah. This result can be explained by the fact that social marketing strategies extend beyond merely disseminating information; rather, they seek to influence individuals’ attitudes, motivations, and behavioral intentions. This interpretation is consistent with the assumptions of the Theory of Planned Behavior, which suggests that strengthening positive attitudes and perceived social norms increases the likelihood of adopting desirable behaviors. Furthermore, the findings support Social Learning Theory, which emphasizes that individuals acquire behaviors through observation, interaction, and engagement with their surrounding social environment.

The emergence of the social distribution dimension as the strongest predictor of digital etiquette can be attributed to the role of accessibility in facilitating responsible digital behavior adoption. Easy access to digital services, educational platforms, and awareness materials reduces barriers that may hinder students from engaging in appropriate digital practices. When awareness messages, digital applications, and educational resources are continuously available and easy to use, students become more exposed to positive digital practices, which subsequently influences their daily behaviors within the university environment. This finding is consistent with the social marketing literature, which considers accessibility and convenience as critical determinants of successful behavioral change interventions, as they reduce the effort, time, and perceived costs associated with adopting the desired behavior.

The findings are also consistent with the results of previous studies, including Arenas-Escaso et al. (2024) and Saud (2022), which emphasized that promotional activities and awareness campaigns contribute to strengthening responsible online behavior by increasing awareness and encouraging positive digital practices. Similarly, the current study demonstrates that social promotion represents one of the most influential dimensions of social marketing in enhancing digital etiquette among university students.

Moreover, the study revealed a relatively high level of student commitment to the technological and health-related dimensions of digital etiquette. This finding aligns with the concerns highlighted by the World Health Organization (2025) regarding the importance of increasing awareness of health risks associated with excessive technology use. Such agreement reflects students’ readiness to respond to awareness initiatives when these initiatives are implemented within a supportive university environment that encourages responsible technology use.

However, these findings differ from some previous studies that argued that awareness campaigns alone may not be sufficient to achieve sustainable behavioral change unless they are supported by appropriate technological infrastructure and clear institutional policies that reinforce responsible digital practices. This discrepancy may be attributed to differences in the Iraqi university context, the level of available digital services, variations in sample characteristics, and differences in the degree of digital transformation across educational institutions where previous studies were conducted.

From a practical perspective, the findings suggest that universities should consider social marketing as an integrated managerial strategy rather than viewing it merely as a temporary communication campaign. Enhancing access to digital services, developing continuous awareness messages, and providing user-friendly technological environments are essential actions that can contribute to improving students’ adherence to digital etiquette. Such initiatives can support the quality of digital education and reduce undesirable digital behaviors.

Theoretically, these findings provide further support for the fundamental assumptions of the Theory of Planned Behavior, which explains that behavioral adoption is influenced by attitudes, perceived social norms, and perceived behavioral control. Additionally, the findings are consistent with Social Learning Theory by demonstrating that educational environments and awareness messages serve as important sources for acquiring positive digital behaviors through observation, social interaction, and continuous engagement.

Based on the results of the study and analysis of digital reality at the University of Fallujah, the researchers recommend the following:

Future research could extend the current study by adopting longitudinal or experimental research designs to provide deeper insights into the causal mechanisms underlying the relationship between social marketing practices and digital etiquette. Such approaches would help examine how changes in social marketing interventions over time influence students’ digital behaviors and provide stronger evidence regarding the directionality of these relationships.

Furthermore, future studies are encouraged to expand the research context by including students from different public and private universities across various geographical regions to enhance the generalizability of the findings. Comparative studies across different educational and cultural contexts may also provide valuable insights into how institutional and environmental factors shape the adoption of responsible digital behaviors.

In addition, future research could investigate potential mediating and moderating variables that may explain or strengthen the relationship between social marketing and digital etiquette. Variables such as digital citizenship, digital literacy, digital intelligence, perceived behavioral control, and technology acceptance may provide a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms through which social marketing contributes to promoting responsible digital practices among university students.

This study involved human participants and was conducted in accordance with accepted ethical research standards and the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval was obtained from the Scientific Research Ethics Committee, University of Fallujah, Iraq (Approval No. HOF.HUM.2025.001). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their participation. All participants were informed about the purpose of the study, the voluntary nature of their participation, their right to withdraw at any time without consequences, and the confidentiality of their data.