The Internet is advancing every day, parents have no idea what their children are doing in cyberspace and are contemplating the idea of ​​spyware. In the article "The Undercover Parent" by Harlan Coben, he argues that the idea of ​​parents putting spyware on children's computers is a good idea to keep children safe. Many American parents have no idea what goes on in cyberspace; sex, bullying and drugs. Parents are torn between protecting their children with spyware and allowing the child to have privacy. Coben uses the personal experiences of his friends to support his thesis leaving no room for counterarguments. Using strong emotional appeals, weak qualifiers, and sugary word choice, Coben creates a weak and unpersuasive argument. For starters, many parents seek a connection with the author when it comes to topics involving children and privacy. Coben's target audience is parents of teenage children. Coben says "loving parents are watching over here, not faceless bureaucrats" to slowly unhook minds that aren't already on board with spyware. Mention of pedophiles, pornography and drug use by teenagers are emotional appeals that reach parents. Coben does well in identifying his audience but fails to establish credibility. In some cases Coben was unrealistic, take for example a "straight A" teenager who sleeps with her drug dealer and uses drugs will get her parents' attention, but her father's reaction may make them waver in their reasoning. Not many parents in their right mind would calmly go to their daughter and just talk, there would be more screaming and rioting involved. People need the truth by just writing it down and writing it out by playing a serious situation like an after school sitcom that will make people miss...... middle of paper ......his friend's daughter wouldn't have the same effect . Coben Down plays pornography, but still gets the reader's attention by saying "hardcore pornography sites" and many mothers will react quickly to statements like that. Having good adjectives is great but it shouldn't be an argument, there should be concrete evidence. All in all, Coben did a great job of finding and trying to relate to his target audience. With more detail Coben could have had a great argument that would have made parents everywhere want to get spyware for their children. It failed to establish credibility and undermined its overall objective. Failure to identify a counterargument made his argument completely one-sided and biased. The sugary words, emotional appeals and qualification could stand on their own leaving readers doubtful and a little confused about the overall article.