15 years ago I used to vanish from home for 3 months with no means of contact, now I have cellphone, email, twitter and so on.
Somehow I cannot imagine walking around with no cellphone. It gives me sense of security in case I would be kidnapped for trafficking or attacked or needed help in any occasion.
But 15 years ago I was travelling alone for holidays as a teenager and I had to walk 12 km through the hills to reach nearest phone booth.
My parents were ok with it. Somehow they trusted that I am reasonable and I will be allright.
But I was limited only to people I could meet in my real life and I must admit they weren't always best. Some of them were good some really crappy. Just like those met in the internet. They are both good and evil, attractive or annoying, stable or unstable etc.
I guess internet is just a new reality and we at the core stay the same.
