Through His Webcam, a Boy Joins a Sordid Online World:

"Weeks before, Justin had hooked up a Web camera to his computer, hoping to use it to meet other teenagers online. Instead, he heard only from men who chatted with him by instant message as they watched his image on the Internet. To Justin, they seemed just like friends, ready with compliments and always offering gifts.

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.

'I figured, I took off my shirt at the pool for nothing,' he said recently. 'So, I was kind of like, what's the difference?'
Justin removed his T-shirt. The men watching him oozed compliments.

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. "

A long, disturbing, yet engrossing article that I recommend. I don't directly blame his parents for his victimization, and I'm not one to point fingers, considering I have no kids, but I am astounded that what went on for 5 years went unnoticed by his parents. Or by his mother, actually, since his father was in on it towards the end. I just think that things wouldn't have gone so far if they had been more involved in his life and actually knew what he was doing.

Parents don't let your kids have a computer in their room!