Introduction
In modern society, computers and the internet have used a wide range of fields including daily life, education, and industry, allowing us to freely handle large amounts of information. However, at the same time, problems to the information society such as cyberattacks, personal information leaks, and copyright are becoming increasingly serious due to a lack of understanding about information technology. To address these issues, it is essential to have not only the ability to use devices, but also the literacy to handle information appropriately and make judgments about risks.
However, the current situation where understanding of technology and information is not enough, creates an environment tending to misunderstandings and bias. This is clear as a lack of understanding of information culture, such as the negative images of hackers, and also as lack of information moral education.
This essay will address the common challenges of literacy in the information society. By examining stereotypes of hacker culture, and the current state and challenges of information education in schools.
The Cultural Background of Hackers
The term “hacker” is often understood as negative stereotypes, such as criminal or dangerous technicians. However, the original concept of hacker is not limited to criminal people. A hacker originally refers to people who hold advanced computer skills to improve and develop computer systems and programmers [1]. On the other hand, it has been argued that people who aim to commit crime behavior should be called crackers, and hacker and cracker should not be described as having the same meanings [1]. Thus, the term hacker has been covered by expanding negative images about the positive and creative aspects of them. The classical ideas introduced by Levy [2], information should be free, the refusal of authority, and seeking of social improvement through computers, still have significant meanings in even today’s social society.
On the other hand, the media continue to emphasize the aspects of illegal access and attacks, focusing on negative images such as hackers committing crimes. As a result, users who lack knowledge about network culture easily understand that technicians including hackers are dangerous [3].
Therefore, correcting the negative stereotypes associated with the term hacker and taking a new history and culture is greatly important in today’s network society. When testing values such as information freedom, technological improvement, and individual independence, it is necessary to understand hacker culture, considering both its positive and negative aspects, rather than connecting hacker with crime.
The Necessity of Information Moral Education in Modern School Situations
In modern educational situations, the use of computers and the Internet is rapidly increasing, with information technology being introduced at every level from primary to university education. However, many teachers lack enough technical skills, and with limited class time, information technology education tends to be focused on technical aspects. As a result, in a current situation where information moral education is not being completely conducted. For example, in primary and junior high schools, MEXT (2019) has been introduced and schools have been conducting research-based learning using the internet through their own creative approaches [4]. However, in environments lacking enough security ways. Therefore, there is a risk that educational inappropriate information may be accessed by students. Furthermore, learning that includes sending information out into the world such as presenting what they researched on the internet carries greater risks such as copyright issues and personal information leaks. To address these risks, it is essential that teachers themselves have enough knowledge of information and educate their students.
In addition, in university education, although the free use of information devices is expanding, the openness of network environments increases risks such as viruses and information leaks. If technical countermeasures such as firewall and continuous surveillance are not maintained, students unconsciously become victims or even offenders of information damage [5].. Furthermore, when searching the internet for assignments given in class, a huge number of sites appear instantly. This presents a daily challenge for professors how to handle reports submitted by students that are cut and pasted from such vast amounts of information.
Therefore, information moral education must conduct not only teaching laws and manners, but also it must be an education that enables students to understand what should not be done and why it should not be done.
Considerations
The issues such as hackers’ culture and information moral education addressed in this study. Both problems share a common problem such as the lack of literacy among people in the information society. The values hackers have creativity, technical interest, and a desire for social improvement have not been completely understood by the majority of people. However, a bad image has been shaped by the media focused on criminal activities. This can be described as a social misunderstanding regarding the cultural and historical background of information technology.
A similar problem can be seen in educational situations. Even though increasing opportunities to introduce ICT into education, its use lacks enough moral understanding regarding security, copyright, privacy, and other risks. This comes from a lack of technical and moral knowledge among teachers, limitation of class time, and an educational system that focuses on how to use devices while cultivating critical judgment in an information society. In other words, both attitudes against hackers’ cultural background and the lack of information moral knowledge in education come from not understanding how information works and the risks involved.
Therefore, education in the future information society should not be limited to technical skill acquisition. It aims to cultivate people who can understand the values, morals, culture, and history connected with information and choose appropriate behaviours. This is essential both for correcting negative stereotypes about hackers, the creative aspects of information technology, and promoting information morality in education
References
[1] M. Horibe and S. Nagata, “Introduction to Law in the Information Network Age”, Sanseido, 1989, p. 89
[2] S. Levy, “Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution” 1985, p. 55
[3] H. Shirata, “Hacker Ethics, Information Disclosure, and Privacy” ハッカー倫理と情報公開・プライバシー, accessed on 2025/ 12/ 2
[4] Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, “Course of Study for Lower Secondary School: Integrated Studies ” Tokyo, Japan: MEXT, 2019. 【総合的な学習の時間編】中学校学習指導要領（平成29年告示）解説, accessed on 2025/ 12/1
[5] Toshiaki Chazono, “A Study on Information Ethics Education” Nihonbashi Gakkan University, ja, accessed on 0205/ 12/ 2 p. 84
About Author
