Australian Customs Officials Will Search Your Laptop For cough

[futaris]

Australian Customs Officials Will Search Your Laptop For cough | Gizmodo Australia

Travellers to be searched for cough

Australian customs officers have been given new powers to search incoming travellers' laptops and mobile phones for coughography, a spokeswoman for the Australian sex industry says.

 

[samh004]

Wasn’t this noted just last week, although not that officials would search your laptop?

Seems like it’d just rely on existing profiling anyway, as the amount of pax that travel with a laptop these days, and even phones if they want to search them, include nearly everyone. If they stopped everyone and performed a thorough search, the line would backup through immigration and onto the plane for days!

I do have a film in my iTunes that was “refused classicifcation” by The Australian film thingy, but it’s not coughography, in fact I’ve seen more sex at the cinemas.

And this is the other thread: http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/travel-news/new-arrivals-card-question-s-23286.html

 

[simongr]

I do hope they are only really focussed on child cough - it would be a gargantuan waste of resources to try and stop something that can be downloaded off the web in seconds.

Hospitals crumbling, education underfunded, roads a mess and THIS is what government resources are being wasted on!

 

[Alanslegal]

IMO the search will be too labour intensive and yield very little results and thus I doubt this would be high on a Customs Official search priority, given other immediate searches that will get better results eg. bringing in wood/plant items, food etc.

Those smart* enough will just upload the 'stuff' to an email / online server / storage before flying in and just download it when they are back at home.

 

[v8Statesman]

Now I wonder what they would do if they found the odd photo of your wife/girlfriend etc on your mobile/camera.

 

[samh004]

Now I wonder what they would do if they found the odd photo of your wife/girlfriend etc on your mobile/camera.

Confiscate it and “dispose” of it

 

[v8Statesman]

Confiscate it and “dispose” of it

"it or "her"?????

 

[Archphoto]

Big Brother is alive and well in Australia!
And the gov has a go at China for banning their citizens access to certain sites on the internet. . . . .

I can see a big pot on the horizon and it is most definitely black in colour!!:mrgreen:

 

[one9]

Big Brother is alive and well in Australia!
And the gov has a go at China for banning their citizens access to certain sites on the internet. . . . .

I can see a big pot on the horizon and it is most definitely black in colour!!:mrgreen:

Yes, I believe that the founding fathers of our constitution as well as many of those who served in the world wars would be quite upset that the freedoms they created and/or fought for are being lost.

 

[whereishome]

I hope you all enjoyed your hush money from KFlex and Swannie. You can use your Rudd bucks for phonecards so you can do what the Cubans do and dial overseas to get some unrestricted access. $900 should be good for 10-15 hours of air time to some place with more relaxed rules on thought control - like North Korea.

 

[Archphoto]

I hope you all enjoyed your hush money from KFlex and Swannie. You can use your Rudd bucks for phonecards so you can do what the Cubans do and dial overseas to get some unrestricted access. $900 should be good for 10-15 hours of air time to some place with more relaxed rules on thought control - like North Korea.

Perhaps my likening it to Big Brother was OTT - however there are a hell of a lot more important things that Customs should be worried about, rather than some cough a traveler may have on their computer. (And I'm certainly *not* talking about kiddie cough here.)

Joe Blow having a good time watching some xx_ rated video at home, isn't going to have the same impact as someone importing a few kilos of smack or coke, on society now is he?

Seriously, the gov could be spending those extra taxpayer $$$$$ on overtime to ensure that everyone has access to healthcare, education etc, after all in my eyes, that is a hell of a lot more important than somebody's cough collection on their computer.

If they do implement it - they'd better expand their customs area and add more staff - it usually takes me 2 hrs to clear SYD as it is, and have missed a connecting flight on more than one occasion - looks like I'll be needing to have that flight at least 4 hrs after. :mrgreen:

 

[simongr]

I hope you all enjoyed your hush money from KFlex and Swannie. You can use your Rudd bucks for phonecards so you can do what the Cubans do and dial overseas to get some unrestricted access. $900 should be good for 10-15 hours of air time to some place with more relaxed rules on thought control - like North Korea.

Actually at this point you can get any cough you want over the net without having to avoid thought control from Rudd.

Seriously, the gov could be spending those extra taxpayer $$$$$ on overtime to ensure that everyone has access to healthcare, education etc, after all in my eyes, that is a hell of a lot more important than somebody's cough collection on their computer.

If they do implement it - they'd better expand their customs area and add more staff - it usually takes me 2 hrs to clear SYD as it is, and have missed a connecting flight on more than one occasion - looks like I'll be needing to have that flight at least 4 hrs after. :mrgreen:

2 Hours to clear SYD :shock: I know its bad but never that bad for me - even before ePass etc.

I just wish they would fix some of the problems rather than fixing things that don't need to be fixed!

 

[Mal]

Customs have had search powers for many years - including laptops and mobile phones.

What is new is the question on the arrivals card, and the possible subsequent search.

 

[MelUser]

This happened to a relative of mine who was mortified. Apparently the process is very demeaning - we are talking about a gentleman in his 70s, married, grandchildren flies J etc etc and was coming from Europe. They also asked for all mobiles and sim cards and search those. They also ask you to open up your in box (assuming you use outlook or similar) on the lap top.

Nothing found but no apology offered. Quite a time consuming process so not sure how many people will be searched per incoming flight.

 

[Archphoto]

This happened to a relative of mine who was mortified. Apparently the process is very demeaning - we are talking about a gentleman in his 70s, married, grandchildren flies J etc etc and was coming from Europe. They also asked for all mobiles and sim cards and search those. They also ask you to open up your in box (assuming you use outlook or similar) on the lap top.

Nothing found but no apology offered. Quite a time consuming process so not sure how many people will be searched per incoming flight.

Wonder what their criteria for "Stop & Search" is?
I'm guessing, your relative *didn't* tick the YES box on his immigration card. . . . . . . . .

Pretty appalling that there's no apology; I was pulled aside in Brisbane after having a "nice doggy" sit next to me when travelling back from BKK with my Thai PA last year.

Seems the innersoles in my boots set him off (he took great interest in my boots), but after searching all our luggage and finally testing those inner soles (ewwwww!!), they waved us through with an apology and wished us well for our trip to AU.

 

[blueflamenco]

I highly doubt customs officials are digging through computers to find your latest homemade sex tape or nudie beach shots. I think we all know whats going on here.

 

[drron]

I highly doubt customs officials are digging through computers to find your latest homemade sex tape or nudie beach shots. I think we all know whats going on here.

No I am clueless.All i can think of are the days of mail sorting.Those postcards of naked women took a long time to get through the old Redfern Mail exchange:shock:

 

[blueflamenco]

No I am clueless.All i can think of are the days of mail sorting.Those postcards of naked women took a long time to get through the old Redfern Mail exchange:shock:

As an effort to reduce child coughography.

This country clearly doesn't have issue with the display of the female body naked. I can go to the petrol station and see that - I highly doubt Australian customs is too concerned. Now as for male nudity, thats a different story altogether.

 

[JohnK]

Another moronic decision and waste of more taxpayers money.

I did not appreciate my phone searched the first time (without my permission and no apology after the search) and next time it happens there will be an official complaint and a demand for an apology.

Photos, sms, emails are private and not for others to read just because they have their profiling all wrong. Another reason why I refuse to take my laptop overseas. Not that there is anything illegal on the laptop but there are a lot of personal documents and spreadsheets.

Why don't they concentrate on catching the real criminals such as people smugglers, drug importers? Because innocent travellers are easier prey....

 

[blueflamenco]

Another moronic decision and waste of more taxpayers money.

I did not appreciate my phone searched the first time (without my permission and no apology after the search) and next time it happens there will be an official complaint and a demand for an apology.

Photos, sms, emails are private and not for others to read just because they have their profiling all wrong. Another reason why I refuse to take my laptop overseas. Not that there is anything illegal on the laptop but there are a lot of personal documents and spreadsheets.

Why don't they concentrate on catching the real criminals such as people smugglers, drug importers? Because innocent travellers are easier prey....

:shock:

Individuals who purchase and distribute child cough are not "real criminals"?

I would gladly offer up my phone or other electronics for search if this puts even one scumbag behind bars.