Through His Webcam, a Boy Joins a Sordid Online World

New York Times ^ | Dec 19, 2005 | KURT EICHENWALD

[SmoothTalker]

"The 13-year-old boy sat in his California home, eyes fixed on a computer screen. He had never run with the popular crowd and long ago had turned to the Internet for the friends he craved. But on this day, Justin Berry's fascination with cyberspace would change his life."

"Now, on an afternoon in 2000, one member of his audience sent a proposal: he would pay Justin $50 to sit bare-chested in front of his Webcam for three minutes. The man explained that Justin could receive the money instantly and helped him open an account on PayPal.com, an online payment system."

"Gradually the requests became bolder, the cash offers larger:"

"So began the secret life of a teenager who was lured into selling images of his body on the Internet over the course of five years. From the seduction that began that day, this soccer-playing honor roll student was drawn into performing in front of the Webcam - undressing, showering, masturbating and even having sex - for an audience of more than 1,500 people who paid him, over the years, hundreds of thousands of dollars."

No one Justin's age ever contacted him from that listing. But, within minutes, he heard from his first online predator. That man was soon followed by another, then another."

The Times inquiry has already resulted in a large-scale criminal investigation. In June, The Times located Justin Berry, then 18. In interviews, Justin revealed the existence of a group of more than 1,500 men who paid for his online images."

"As soon as Justin hooked the camera to his bedroom computer and loaded the software, his picture was automatically posted on spotlife.com, an Internet directory of Webcam users, along with his contact information. Then he waited to hear from other teenagers.

[NJ_gent]

"Is it the clerk's fault that the 12 year-old bought beer from him?"

A clerk is a sentient being dealing face-to-face with every customer for every transaction. No "packet" goes by the clerk without him actually seeing what it is and who is handling it.

The more apt analogy for the internet is, still, the non-sentient tool (ie the gun).

[AppyPappy]

No "packet" goes by the clerk without him actually seeing what it is and who is handling it.

I guarantee the ISP has access to every packet that flows through its system. Not only that, it can tell you every link you have clicked. It can tell you every site it hosts.

ISP's are pretty intelligent. Their people are smarter than guns. If they really want to know something, they will find out.

[tutstar]

ping
disgusting...yet the perverts insist they do not go after youngsters

[Wolfie]

The Founding Fathers didn't have this in mind when they wrote the First Amendment.

Right. And the 2nd Amendment only applies to muzzle loaders.

[Mad_as_heck]

"I thought earthlink was owned by the Scientologists."

Yes, I think it is. I'm expecting an email from Tom Cruise telling me that I just need to give my computer the "Purification Rundowns" and all will be peachy.

[Melas]

Every computer in my house has a webcam, and ditto for most households in my social circle. Webcams aren't dirty little devices solely for perverts you know. I talk with my oldest daughter, with my grandaughter on her lap all the time over the web.

[Melas]

I've seen no evidence that a more luddite approach to raising children, produces better children.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

From the seduction that began that day, this soccer-playing honor roll student was drawn into performing in front of the Webcam - undressing, showering, masturbating and even having sex - for an audience of more than 1,500 people who paid him, over the years, hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Does he live in a mansion and have a limousine driver?

[Melas]

Balderdash. For one thing, as a home schooling parent, there is absolutely no way we could make it with a "family" PC. Everything is written on the computer, almost all of our reference materials are electronic, and even some parts of our curriculum are electronic.

2ndly, this is the 21st century. We have computers throughout our entire household. More computers than family members actually. All part of a household network. It's not at all unusual for me or my wife to refer to an internet recipe from a laptop resting on the kitchen counter as we cook, while video conferencing with our oldest daughter hundreds of miles away.

[WasDougsLamb]

--It doesn't matter whether you and your family can make it with a family pc or not. This article isn't about you , your wife and getting recipes, referencing materials, or parts of a curriculum or video conferencing a daughter. It was about a family with a 13 boy who cannot be trusted on the internet unsupervised, giving the circumstances of this article. Take time to read it. Thanks :)

[NJ_gent]

"I guarantee the ISP has access to every packet that flows through its system."

So your idea is to make ISPs supply sentient employees to examine each and every packet of data that flows across their networks?

I hope you're aware that it would take the entire population of China being expertly trained in networking and TCP/IP to analyze a month's worth of my personal traffic alone within my lifetime.

[TChris]

Basic Internet Survival lesson #17:

No minor should ever have an Internet-connected computer in his/her room. Ever. Any computers in the home should be in locations easily visible to parents and not in a locked room.

Turning a minor loose on the Internet unsupervised is just as irresponsible as turning them loose in downtown New York City or Las Vegas unsupervised.

[AppyPappy]

So your idea is to make ISPs supply sentient employees to examine each and every packet of data that flows across their networks?

Luckily, I am a network administrator and I know it can be done in other ways. You can look for certain patterns that show your ISP is being used as a conduit for illegal activities. It's all automated. We do it to look for hacking activities.

[Old Professer]

The author seemed to enjoy his work.

[najida]

With Paypal, you can get a debit card for what you have in your Paypal account.

Just like that bank, but easier. And if people deposit straight into it, there it's like a constant fountain of money.

[Flyer]

people who paid him, over the years, hundreds of thousands of dollars.

What's my dog doing wrong?? Not a penny, not one red cent!

[Gone GF]

The NY Times does something decent and all some people can do is question the motives of the reporter. Very sad.

[Windsong]

SO I guess they should be shot too, eh?

[penelopesire]

"Webcams aren't dirty little devices solely for perverts you know. I talk with my oldest daughter, with my grandaughter on her lap all the time over the web."

Of course! Imagine how great they are for military families! I just would never let my child use one unsupervised.

[rwfromkansas]

People are hanged, not hung.