Australian Customs Officials Will Search Your Laptop For cough

[Mal]

Just because you do not declare it on your incoming form, customs officers can still pull someone over for an inspection just like they have always do. So imagine for pofiling sake, that every solo male of any age arriving in from BKK,HKT,SGN,DPS should be a candidates for coughography breaches.

So what defence does someone have if there is (legal) cough on their laptop, yet they don't tick the magic box? Could it lead to a $225 (or whatever the current amount is) fine from Customs for not declaring something? What if the laptop was used by a colleague/family member who downloaded cough without the owner's consent.

What if cough was downloaded by accident - ie a pop-up advert occurred while web surfing showing coughographic material?

The question by customs is way too broad. I think it's funny that they specifically ask about "illicit drugs" (rather than just 'drugs'), yet won't expand on their definition of cough.

 

[blueflamenco]

[
Feeling violated, humiliated, tormented and legally harassed, I feel the long term effects of never trusting a customs officer again. Was it because they were having a boring day, that they decided to have cheap thrills looking at cough? The Customs folks were wrong, were always wrong, would not even listen to me, and in the end, would never apologise. It's easier to squeeze blood out of a stone, then getting an apology from a customs officer.

end of story

Drama. Queen.

 

[harvyk]

What if cough was downloaded by accident - ie a pop-up advert occurred while web surfing showing coughographic material?

I personally think this will catch a lot of people out... Even if a person doesn't take a cough collection OS with them, let’s say they browse some cough sites whilst OS (or do a search for images in google and a couple of the images are less than work safe), your web browser will often make copies of the images (called caching). Thus a person could be bringing in a computer which only they have used and genuinely believing that they do not have cough on it.


It would be kind of like someone getting done for not declaring that they shook hands with someone who may or may not have taken drugs at some stage in the recent past.

 

[dajop]

I personally think this will catch a lot of people out... Even if a person doesn't take a cough collection OS with them, let’s say they browse some cough sites whilst OS (or do a search for images in google and a couple of the images are less than work safe), your web browser will often make copies of the images (called caching). Thus a person could be bringing in a computer which only they have used and genuinely believing that they do not have cough on it.
]

One would hope commonsense will prevail on this score. I can remember once in the office I mistakenly went to www dot melair dot com (rather than www dot melair dot com dot au - the Melbourne Airport website) and went to Russian cough website. I fired off a note to the airport, don't know if they got my note, but now it does take you to the airport website).

 

[medhead]

And because that child is being sold into sex slavery it’s OK for your privacy to be violated?

**** happens, and because of it, human rights are thrown out the window. Sounds like an awesome world we live in

Yes, exactly. Some people have to make sacrifices for the greater benefit of others.

As for **** happens, not in the case of child cough. That is not some random event that just happens to people. It is a deliberate planned activity that is occurs because of a demand. The only way to deal with that situation is to stamp it out. And if poor old Alanslegal's laptop being inspected save even one child from harm then that is a benefit compared to the harm to his pride.

medhead, I think you have taken my post way out of proportion.

There has to be a balance between illegal activities verus personal liberties. Sorry but my story was more about the view that privacy invasion is serious and real (just like your argument that the risk of illegal coughography is also serious and real)

And my reference to countries .... whether accurate or not is not the point, the point was that both reference countries are bad and that 'the character' believed the treatment he was getting was extremely 'bad' (given that he has had the time of his life.)

sorry I don't think I've taken it out of proportion at all. The harm to your pride is inconsequential compared to the harm to a young child being raped and brutalised, just for the satisfaction of sick *******. I'm just adding some perspective to your story and to your characterisation of those countries. In perspective your extremely bad situation after having the time of one's life, is a triviality compared to what has happened in those other countries.

And lets not forget that I've seen border security and in particular a cough inspection and what happened is that it was taken away to a 3rd person, who has been trained to do the inspection, in a private room, without the owner being present. In fact, the owner never talked to the person doing the inspection. So it is a complete fantasy to imagine that every man and his dog is going to be present and laughing in front of the owner, while said cough is inspected.

 

[medhead]

As most children are molested by adults they know, the obvious thing to do is remove all children form the family home and have them live elsewhere. Now this may sound stupud, but if it saves even one child then it is worth it.

Yeah, because that worked in state run institutions. Oh whoops, wards of the state got molested by adults they know. :shock: (just that they weren't biologically related) So we have them live elsewhere, without adults they know..... Have you read Lord of the Flies?

but then children are also molested whilst in state care, so they should be removed from there to.

The only safe thing is to put all children on an island away from adults.

However sometimes children harm other children so..........

ejb

So we put them on separate islands… I’ll get Dubai to make a few more

 

[dajop]

save even one child from harm

This is a line often used, and I think it is a well meaning but misguided excuse for justifying any actions, and I don't buy it. There is a cost to this activity, firstly in terms of privacy, but lets accept everyone is happy with that, second there is a resource and $ cost. If it only save one child, yet those $ could be better off spent elsewhere saving 100 children it a gross misdirection of resources . Why not subject anyone working around children to the same sort of searches at random of their laptops?

Don't get me wrong, I think we should do whatever is most effective to reduce the numbers involved in these gross exploitative acts. This seems to be but one measure in the armory against this. After a period of time I think its effectiveness as a measure needs to be reviewed, as I am sure it will.

 

[Stealth]

This is a line often used, and I think it is a well meaning but misguided excuse for justifying any actions, and I don't buy it.

Quite agree, its the same theme used for draconian speed limits and remote camera revenue raising, anti-terrorism and so forth. We are heading for an Orwellian 1984 like situation in Australia, just with a 30 year delay. The UK is even further down the slippery slope, hence the new government there planning to revoke some of the more draconian laws passed recently.

I actually suspect this customs thing is a ploy. With all the restrictions government IT people put on their users, the poor customs people are starved for cough and need a new supply. Keeps thier hands warm on a cold night!

Please redirect any PC responses to Women's Weekly please.

 

[anat0l]

<off topic>

Alanslegal, have you ever considered a career as a soft cough novelist? Or at least female romance novelist?


The Simpsons said it best with the paradox, "Without laws and regulations, humankind has no freedom." What a fine line we tread all the time, and damn it is uncomfortable...

 

[medhead]

This is a line often used, and I think it is a well meaning but misguided excuse for justifying any actions, and I don't buy it. There is a cost to this activity, firstly in terms of privacy, but lets accept everyone is happy with that, second there is a resource and $ cost. If it only save one child, yet those $ could be better off spent elsewhere saving 100 children it a gross misdirection of resources . Why not subject anyone working around children to the same sort of searches at random of their laptops?

Don't get me wrong, I think we should do whatever is most effective to reduce the numbers involved in these gross exploitative acts. This seems to be but one measure in the armory against this. After a period of time I think its effectiveness as a measure needs to be reviewed, as I am sure it will.

I understand what you're saying and it is a fair point. But I ask you, and anyone banging on about their privacy (as a different point); do you provide your fingerprint when you go to the USA, or japan or the EU (i believe), without batting an eyelid?
That is a much greater invasion of privacy. They tell you it's about terrorism*, but that is a complete load of steaming horsesh*t. It is only there to deal with crime in the USA. So for a start it is a violation of their constitutional right to not self incriminate. Not sure if that right applies to non yanks. But the irony is the yanks thinking they are the greatest democracy in the known universe yet they don't live by the basis of their democracy in dealing with the rest of the world. It could also be called a massive waste of resources. how many million people travel to the USA and what small percent of those people commit crime in the USA. How many millions are they spending to catch one person who has committed a crime.

* terrorists types can easily avoid this by only using clean persons to enter the USA. i.e. the very recent time square incident.

 

[whereishome]

A thought from tonight's Brisbane AFF Drinks - what if I load up my laptop with loads of cough of really fat and unattractive people and set me wallpaper to a shock site like cough?

Serve whoever goes through my laptop right...

 

[Alanslegal]

Yes, exactly. Some people have to make sacrifices for the greater benefit of others.

You can go ahead and make all your own personal sacrifices for the greater benefit of others eg. get your laptop forensically checked everytime you land into Australia, but I would be guessing alot of people aren't prepared to do what you are ready to do especially when they know they have done absolutely nothing illegal. Why should a very small minority of idiots in this world who do illegal things tarnish every single other law abiding person who views legal coughography.

As for **** happens, not in the case of child cough. That is not some random event that just happens to people. It is a deliberate planned activity that is occurs because of a demand. The only way to deal with that situation is to stamp it out. And if poor old Alanslegal's laptop being inspected save even one child from harm then that is a benefit compared to the harm to his pride.

As above, I'm not prepared for my laptop to be examined every single time (let's say someone fits into a certain profile that causes them to be checked everytime) when I know I have done nothing illegal. If you're happy to be pulled over everytime and waste an extra xx minutes/hours being searched, then great for you, but I'm clearly not, especially when I know I have done nothing wrong.

sorry I don't think I've taken it out of proportion at all. The harm to your pride is inconsequential compared to the harm to a young child being raped and brutalised, just for the satisfaction of sick *******. I'm just adding some perspective to your story and to your characterisation of those countries. In perspective your extremely bad situation after having the time of one's life, is a triviality compared to what has happened in those other countries.

I still think it's very out of proportion your comments, suggesting that I am trivialising a very serious issue and implying that I give a rat's a** about child abuse, then you are absolutely misguided on that. I would bet that all here are in favour of protecting children etc but the sad fact is, imo anyway, is that the random inspections of laptops is not going to solve this serious worldwide issue.

And lets not forget that I've seen border security and in particular a cough inspection and what happened is that it was taken away to a 3rd person, who has been trained to do the inspection, in a private room, without the owner being present. In fact, the owner never talked to the person doing the inspection. So it is a complete fantasy to imagine that every man and his dog is going to be present and laughing in front of the owner, while said cough is inspected.

Again my scenario was a complete hypothetical - in fact I shouldn't even be defending what I wrote - but at not time did I imply that what I wrote is the exact process of what happens inside Customs. But sadly, you shouldn't be relying on what you see on Border Security as the absolute Customs inspection process as well. If you think watching a TV show is truth and you become an expert at the processes, then I watch Dr Phil, The Block, MasterChef, and The Footy Show.

 

[samh004]

A thought from tonight's Brisbane AFF Drinks - what if I load up my laptop with loads of cough of really fat and unattractive people and set me wallpaper to a shock site like cough?

Serve whoever goes through my laptop right...

I believe we talked about your gf and then I suggested setting my desktop wallpaper to cough.cx. Which I am considering for the next time I head back here from overseas.

Haha.

If you think watching a TV show is truth and you become an expert at the processes, then I watch The Block.

Is that the one where they renovate a house? I didn't realise that was still on?!

 

[Alanslegal]

That is a much greater invasion of privacy. They tell you it's about terrorism*, but that is a complete load of steaming horsesh*t. It is only there to deal with crime in the USA.

* terrorists types can easily avoid this by only using clean persons to enter the USA. i.e. the very recent time square incident.

Using your words, let me rework it with child abuse in mind:-

And the searching of my laptop is also a great invasion of privacy. medhead will tell you that if it saves at least one child from abuse then it's fantastic*, but that is a complete load of steaming horsesh*t. the coughography laws are only to make people feel warm inside and that we are being pro-active about this serious worldwide problem.

* sick peadophiles can easily avoid this by uploading to a server/web host/email before coming to Australia, and when they get home, just download the file/s.

 

[dajop]

I understand what you're saying and it is a fair point. But I ask you, and anyone banging on about their privacy (as a different point); do you provide your fingerprint when you go to the USA, or japan or the EU (i believe), without batting an eyelid?

No I don't bat an eyelid when that happens. Because if I did, I am sure I would be taken away, locked up and interrogated. :!:

But I lump it in the same category, it would be interesting to know the actual real value of all of these anti-terror activities, other than political posturing. I'll try to keep my opinions to myself on the state or otherwise of US hypoc,oops i mean demo-cracy, but one thing I will observe that we (US, Australia, UK etc) are very prepared to give up things in the name of protecting the greater good, and those that initiated such actions will go to great lengths to prove that they are working, even though they may not be. And if they are not working, it is certainly never easy getting back what was given up.

 

[blueflamenco]

A thought from tonight's Brisbane AFF Drinks - what if I load up my laptop with loads of cough of really fat and unattractive people and set me wallpaper to a shock site like cough?

Serve whoever goes through my laptop right...

Drinks were involved in this amazing idea? I never would have guessed...

 

[JohnK]

What if cough was downloaded by accident - ie a pop-up advert occurred while web surfing showing coughographic material?

And I am sure this has happened to a lot of people including me.

Yes, exactly. Some people have to make sacrifices for the greater benefit of others.

I do not want to make any sacrifices. You can sacrifice your dignity, freedom and privacy if you want.

There is something seriously wrong if you truly believe that Australia's "new" laws against importing coughography is going to make even a small dent in the child coughography racket overseas. Can we please put the resources to better use?

It is like believing that catching one person on the streets in Kings Cross with a tiny amount of heroi_ is going to stop Afghanistan from supplying more opium.

 

[blueflamenco]

^ Really, folks?? I thought this was an old excuse husbands would use if they were caught out.

I use the internet every day for at least 8 hours. I can honestly say I have NEVER (not even once) had a "pop up cough advert".

Even if there was such thing, which there very well could be, do most browsers these days not block pop ups and ask your permission to open them??

What sites would one be browsing to get "pop up cough"?

Sorry, I don't buy it.

 

[blueflamenco]

And I am sure this has happened to a lot of people including me.


I do not want to make any sacrifices. You can sacrifice your dignity, freedom and privacy if you want.

Well, thats just it isn't it.

 

[ejb]

^ Really, folks?? I thought this was an old excuse husbands would use if they were caught out.

I use the internet every day for at least 8 hours. I can honestly say I have NEVER (not even once) had a "pop up cough advert".

Even if there was such thing, which there very well could be, do most browsers these days not block pop ups and ask your permission to open them??

What sites would one be browsing to get "pop up cough"?

Sorry, I don't buy it.

On this point I agree with you. I have not had a popup in years.

I guess if you browse cough sites you may get pop ups.

ejb