Chapter One. The Landscape of Risk


Marty's feeling good tonight; his law firm just won a big case, and it's a sure bet he'll make partner before his 45th birthday next month. He checks on his wife, and she's watching TV in the living room, starting to doze. He grabs a drink and settles down in front of his computer in the den. Marty logs on to the Internet, turns off the computer speakers so his wife won't hear anything, and types in a URL.

Marty discovered Stella a couple of months ago. She's 14 and lives in a nearby city. Like most people, her online journal, called a blog, tells more about her than she realizes, and, like most blogs, it was set up by default to be wide open to the public. In her blog profile she lists her birthday, city and state, her favorite movies, and favorite color. Her blog name is 2SexyStella, and the picture she's posted on her blog space is that of a slim young girl with big eyes, tight jeans and halter top, and the slouching posture of a teen who is unsure of herself and self-conscious, but trying hard to look cool.

When he first came across Stella's blog, Marty was attracted to her photo, so he started checking her Web site regularly. When Stella posted a complaint about having an argument with her mother, Marty saw the opening he'd been waiting for. He posted a sympathetic and supportive response. He sided with Stella against her mom, introducing a wedge between them, and slowly taking on a role as a confidante. After a few more exchanges through her blog, Stella gave him her e-mail address. They've been e-mailing and instant messaging each other for weeks now. It never ceases to amaze Marty how much information people provide about themselves, their family, and their friends without even realizing it.

For her part, Stella was thrilled to find that Marty was so cute, and only a few years older than her. He thinks she's the most wonderful person alive. They have so much in common! They love the same movies and even share the same birthday. They've swapped pictures of their families and houses. (Stella never realized the photo of her sitting on her front porch contained the house number and a street sign in the background, so now he knows where she lives.) She's just excited by how this 17-year-old guy flirts with her.

In his last e-mail, Marty asked if Stella had a digital camera, and they began sharing personal photos using instant messaging. The first picture he asked for was innocent, but now that he's established the connection, who knows where this friendship could go?



Look Both Ways. Help Protect Your Family on the Internet
Look Both Ways: Help Protect Your Family on the Internet
ISBN: 0735623473
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 157
Authors: Linda Criddle

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