Ethical Issues in SEO ( A Comparative Analysis of Black Hat vs. White Hat Tactics )

BSc. Majd Ahmad

Master's thesis

Abstract:

My thesis examines the ethical dilemmas in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) by contrasting black hat and white hat techniques. It explores the short-term benefits and long-term consequences of both approaches, analyzing their impact on website rankings, reputation, and business sustainability. while black hat SEO might seem appealing for quick wins, it ultimately harms businesses. My research advocates for ethical SEO practices, emphasizing on proper optimization techniques lead to better long-term outcomes.

Keywords

SEO Ethics, White Hat SEO, Black Hat SEO, Search Engine Optimization, Cloaking, Link Farming, Google Algorithm Penalties, Search Engine Rankings, SEO Best Practices, User Experience (UX), Organic Traffic, Keyword Stuffing, Content Marketing, Page Load Speed, Google Analytics

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 29. 3. 2025

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 2. 6. 2025
• Supervisor: Ing. Václav Lohr, Ph.D.
• Reader: Ondřej Šimpach, externi

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Economics and Management

Master programme:
Informatics