Little+Brother

=//Little Brother//= By Cory Doctorow

Verso:
Four high school teens cut school in hopes of capturing their next clue in a digitally-enhanced game of LARPing or "live active role play," called Harajuku Fun Madness. They find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, when a terrorist group sets off a bomb in San Francisco. Marcus, a.k.a "W1N5t0N," and his friends get picked up by the Department of Homeland Security. Marcus's digitally encrypted gadgets only advance the suspicions about his activities. The teens are detained in an unknown prison where they are interrogated and tortured for days. A marked man upon his release, Marcus vows to get revenge. He empowers hackers across the city with freeware to engage online without a trace. This is an exciting tale of teen espionage, riddled with themes of terrorism, privacy, civil liberties, and social justice.

Science/Technology Theme:
Coupled with a terrorist act more severe than 9/11, the central theme of //Little Brother// focuses on advanced computer technology, where issues of privacy are blurred in the name of protecting citizens. The main character, Marcus, finds way to entertain himself through online gaming and life role play, while at the same time dodging ways that his own school can track him. He uses encryption coding and dismantles devices on electronic textbooks and library books that can potentially follow his every move. Marcus uses his knowledge of digital tracking and data encryption to protect his own digital footprint. Marcus takes control of protecting his own right to privacy with ingenuity and technology.

Main Character's Problem:
Marc is the main character in //Little Brother//. His main conflict is with the government, Homeland Security. Marcus's technology use patterns and interactions in the ethersphere mark him as a suspicious citizen. He must find ways to protect his online identity and movements, as well as fight back against the government controlling his digital activities and freedoms.