This study focused on ethical considerations in social media marketing. Social media marketing has revolutionised the marketing discipline and has brought endless possibilities. The increase in mobile penetration and improved access to the Internet has assisted marketers to reach their targeted audience faster and more cheaply. By utilising social media marketing, marketers can augment consumer engagement ubiquitously. The study objectives were to establish the effect of confidentiality, transparency, accountability and privacy on social media marketing. The utilitarianism, deontological and virtue ethics theories anchored the study. The study adopted positivism philosophy, a cross-sectional survey design and a structured self-administered questionnaire. Data was collected from 363 marketers in Harare, Zimbabwe. The marketers were randomly selected by intercepting them at a marketers’ conference during conference breaks. Structural equation modelling was used to validate hypotheses. Results reflect that confidentiality, transparency, accountability and privacy positively influence social media marketing. The study advanced theory by highlighting ethical variables that should be considered. The study offers new paradigms for understanding how marketers can ethically utilise social media. Ethical considerations result in earning trust and loyalty through protecting user privacy and fostering a positive impact on society. They also change negative societal perspectives into positive public perceptions. Legal issues against businesses are minimised and this contributes to a more responsible and sustainable business environment. While much of the research on ethical considerations has been conducted in more developed markets, focusing on Zimbabwe provides unique challenges and opportunities.