PERSPECTIVE Champions of Internet freedom ignore online ethics at their own peril Mareike LE Pelley January 2013 n Advocates of Internet freedom need to develop more responses to cybercrime and online ethics to make sure that real concerns are not exploited by repressive govern­ments to impose Internet controls and other measures, which violate the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of information. n An improved multi-stakeholder system of Internet governance, increased transnatio­nal cooperation and increased investment in Internet safety technology is needed to combat rising levels of cybercrime. n Principles of self-regulation can and should be increasingly extended to online me­dia and online communication to fight ethical lapses in Internet content. While the nature of the Internet can compound some of the ethical problems encountered it simultaneously displays features which can help to make self-regulation work. n The promotion of information and media literacy will make Internet users more responsible and critical in their approach to online contents and will enable the in­dividual to detect and react to bias, falsities, incitement and hate speech. Increased debate and diversity of opinions can be effective tools against ethical and even cri­minal abuses of online and mobile communication. n Internet and mobile communication play an important and increasing role in the social, economic and democratic development of countries. Government controls and censorship are likely to hamper the realization of this development potential.