The two ADFA cadets who used Skype to stream vision of a woman having consensual sex did so in secret and without her permission.

In doing so, a court found they committed a ''real and substantial'' breach of her right to privacy, and had ''abused and degraded the complainant for their own perverse satisfaction''. Yet in handing down the sentence on Wednesday, Acting Justice John Nield acknowledged that neither cadet had known they were committing a crime.

Justice Nield said he supposed the cadets had thought what they were doing to be a good idea at the time.

That confused morality is something that former Australian Federal Police detective superintendent and University of Canberra Centre for Internet Safety researcher Nigel Phair believes is becoming increasingly common in the digital age.

Mr Phair said morals and ethics differed online, because it was an environment that was a step removed from the real world.

''That's the problem - people need to act lawfully and ethically online, and realise that the internet is just another public place,'' he said.

''When you look at the Skype scandal, what seemed to start off as a bit of a laugh obviously spiralled way out of control into criminal activity.''.

Mr Phair said a major education campaign was needed to ensure Australians realised how to be good digital citizens.