While in the wrong place at the wrong time, hacker/techno whiz Marcus Yallow and his friends get caught in middle of a terrorist attack on San Francisco. When hiding in the BART tunnels, Marcus's best friend is stabbed in the crowds fighting for safety.
Fighting their way back to the surface so they can get help for Marcus's friend, all four high schoolers are taken prisoner by the Department of Homeland Security, who think Marcus and his friends are members of the key organization who orchestrated the attack on San Francisco. Taken to an island dubbed as "Gitmo-by-the-Bay," all three teens are held as prisoners without basic rights. After a couple of days, three out of the four are let go with a warning.
As Marcus makes his way back to his parents' house, he realizes that San Francisco is no longer the home of Americans, but a police state under constant surveillance. Every step, every action of the populous is being watched by the DHS, their movements tracked by their BART passes, their toll bridge passes, gait recognition cameras-- the whole nine yards. Privacy no longer exists.
But Marcus doesn't like this. On top of being arrested by DHS, his friend not being released, and the police state within San Francisco, Marcus wants to fight back.
The founder of an open youth revolt born and bred on the Internet (using the xNet-- a secure and anonymous Internet connection through a game console), Marcus and his friends point out the basic freedoms of Americans has been lost as the DHS tries to find the terrorists within the community through many means (hacking, demonstrations, etc).
But the only way for Marcus to make the difference he is looking for is to come clean and tell his story. About the interrogations, about his best friend never coming home.
For those who would like to read the book themselves-- the book can be found for free on Cory Doctorow's website.
To those who have read "Little Brother" (and possibly "Homeland")-- a
Viz for your thoughts?