The international debate on information ethics (infoethics) addresses the ethical, legal and societal aspects of the applications of information and communication technologies (ICT).

Ethical principles for knowledge societies derive from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and include the right to freedom of expression, universal access to information, particularly that which is in the public domain, the right to education, the right to privacy and the right to participate in cultural life. One of the most challenging ethical issues is the inequity of access to ICT between countries, and between urban and rural communities within countries.

Along with the benefits of a digitally connected world come the threats of misuse and abuse. Already countries are building mechanisms to protect their people against these risks, for example to ensure the safety of children on the Internet, but clearly a lot more needs to be done to address the ethical implications of the information society. In collaboration with its partner institutions, IFAP seeks to do so.