Australian Customs Laptop Inspections
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: The Heart of Asia
Australian Customs Laptop Inspections
From the GMA:
So just for fun, I googled a bit and found this:
http://digital.asiaone.com/Digital/N...214-49686.html
Having child porn on one's laptop is quite different than having a few MP3s or a TV show, is it not? Surely even an Australian customs officer would agree...
Australian Customs Laptop Inspections
We have been informed that Australian Customs in ADL have been conducting searches of crew members’ laptops for illegal or indecent material. Several crew members from Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines are being held in custody following inspections of their personal laptop computers.
If you are operating to any Australian port and are planning to bring your personal computer and/or mobile phone, check to make sure they contain no illegal material. Such material comprises illegally downloaded mp3 or videos files, or pornography.
We have been informed that Australian Customs in ADL have been conducting searches of crew members’ laptops for illegal or indecent material. Several crew members from Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines are being held in custody following inspections of their personal laptop computers.
If you are operating to any Australian port and are planning to bring your personal computer and/or mobile phone, check to make sure they contain no illegal material. Such material comprises illegally downloaded mp3 or videos files, or pornography.
http://digital.asiaone.com/Digital/N...214-49686.html
Having child porn on one's laptop is quite different than having a few MP3s or a TV show, is it not? Surely even an Australian customs officer would agree...
Last edited by betaboy; 18th February 2008 at 08:05.
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: "HARD" TO TELL.....
Surely even an Australian customs officer would agree...
There's a reason why people work at customs,and cannot find any other employment..not exactly the brightest of sparks..
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From: The Heart of Asia
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From: YMML
Quote:
They won't be bothered with checking mp3 or general mpeg files as it's almost impossible to establish their illegality or otherwise. I suspect even regular porn will not phase them. However porn involving kids or actors pretending to be kids (ie, under 18 years of age) is a completely different - and serious - issue.
Such material comprises illegally downloaded mp3 or videos files, or pornography.
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: BALI
Nah mate even so. Even with mp3 or videos. Should realise that this is basically all about their discretion. If they want to nail you, they'll nail you or at the very least make your life that much harder.
Why give them that opportunity. Cover your ass anyway possible, I say i.e. encrypt etc etc.
Yes, I acknowledge and understand their job in protecting australia's borders etc etc but they're also a major revenue raising arm of the gov't...
Anyways my personal opinion of them (which I am much very entitled too) is
Why give them that opportunity. Cover your ass anyway possible, I say i.e. encrypt etc etc.
Yes, I acknowledge and understand their job in protecting australia's borders etc etc but they're also a major revenue raising arm of the gov't...
Anyways my personal opinion of them (which I am much very entitled too) is
Cool as a moosp
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Mostly Hong Kong
It looks like jobs for the boys. Why stop something at the border that you can then get in the terminal building by download ten minutes later? Sounds dumb-ass to me.
Indonesia had the right idea when it sacked its customs and excise department almost in total. They outsourced it to a Swiss company and mysteriously the flow of goods and people through the borders increased and customs revenues increased. I think the same would happen in Oz, but the unions will insist on control of the borders.
Pity, but there it is.
Indonesia had the right idea when it sacked its customs and excise department almost in total. They outsourced it to a Swiss company and mysteriously the flow of goods and people through the borders increased and customs revenues increased. I think the same would happen in Oz, but the unions will insist on control of the borders.
Pity, but there it is.
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Hotel
Yes several CX crews have been checked out and their laptops looked into. One guy had very little on a new laptop - so they started searching his baggage for CD's/ external drives etc. They were really keen to find something.
Soon aircrew will be shackled and led blindfolded and barefoot to and from their cockpits where they will be locked in from the outside for the duration of the flight
Soon aircrew will be shackled and led blindfolded and barefoot to and from their cockpits where they will be locked in from the outside for the duration of the flight
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: No Fixed Abode
I would be quite happy to have my laptop perused everytime I passed through customs if it meant catching even just one lowlife scumbag piece of sh1t like the kiddie porn peddlar recently caught in Adelaide. The only dissapointment is the fact that he was not shot in the head and left on a pike-poll to serve as an example.
Perhaps when you bitch and moan about this procedure, you might think of your own children or the children of people who are close to you and ask yourself how you might feel if it was one of them that these animals had taken advantage of.
Perhaps when you bitch and moan about this procedure, you might think of your own children or the children of people who are close to you and ask yourself how you might feel if it was one of them that these animals had taken advantage of.
Joined: May 2004
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From: 3.5 from TD
I would be quite happy to have my laptop perused everytime I passed through customs if it meant catching even just one lowlife scumbag piece of sh1t like the kiddie porn peddlar recently caught in Adelaide. The only dissapointment is the fact that he was not shot in the head and left on a pike-poll to serve as an example.
Perhaps when you bitch and moan about this procedure, you might think of your own children or the children of people who are close to you and ask yourself how you might feel if it was one of them that these animals had taken advantage of.
Perhaps when you bitch and moan about this procedure, you might think of your own children or the children of people who are close to you and ask yourself how you might feel if it was one of them that these animals had taken advantage of.
I suggest you leave your laptop at home when you travel....
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: No Fixed Abode
sqwak 7700, you are indeed a putrid individual. I have two children and feel strongly, very strongly about this. You are a gutless and spineless individual to cast aspersions like you have and hide behind the annonymity of this website. Perhaps if you have any courage or integrity you might email me with an identity and make such an accusation face to face. Willing to try it?
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From: YMML
The way they seem to be targeting Asian crews indicates that maybe they have been tipped off or have some other intel to suggest there is some sort of organised child porn activity. They can't be serious about innocuous mp3 files or copy DVDs - thousands of pax fly in to Oz everyday lugging bags full of pirated DVDs from Bali, Thailand, Malaysia, China, etc etc. Nothing happens.
Last edited by Teal; 19th February 2008 at 10:52. Reason: typo
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From: The Ultimate Crew Rest....
Missed the point?............
I doubt it...
It's bad enough to have home grown scum but at least we can stop any more deviates and potential trouble makers from coming into Australia.
The way these post are going you would think that Australia is the only country to have customs that are interested in what is entering their borders.
I doubt it...
It's bad enough to have home grown scum but at least we can stop any more deviates and potential trouble makers from coming into Australia.
The way these post are going you would think that Australia is the only country to have customs that are interested in what is entering their borders.
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: perth
My laptop was check in Adl a week or so ago. I was told to power up the laptop and they took it away to check. The computer was returned some 5 minutes later. I was asked if there was any illegal pornography on the laptop prior to it being taken away.
On returning to Australia (I'm based) I asked some of the customs folk I know about this procedure and was told they were specifically targeting child porn and was told quote "you wouldn't believe some of the stuff we're catching".
For those that are worried about the odd MP3 or copied software I have had discussed this with customs only recently. I was told that a few copies of movies software etc was not worth chasing as it required the involvement of the copyright holder. I have been told that they are only interested in volume or multiple copies of the same title. For reference I had both music and some software on my laptop.
On returning to Australia (I'm based) I asked some of the customs folk I know about this procedure and was told they were specifically targeting child porn and was told quote "you wouldn't believe some of the stuff we're catching".
For those that are worried about the odd MP3 or copied software I have had discussed this with customs only recently. I was told that a few copies of movies software etc was not worth chasing as it required the involvement of the copyright holder. I have been told that they are only interested in volume or multiple copies of the same title. For reference I had both music and some software on my laptop.
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From: Abbey Hold @ Min speed
Was in ADL last week, Once my bags went through the Xray Customs wanted me to open up the bags. Told me to switch on my computer. The funny thing was I couldnt get into the computer with my password or with my fingerprint on the scanner. Tried everything restarted etc. still could not get in. The password was correct but Vista would not load up the profile. Anyway after 10 minutes the guy gave up., and let me go. The other cabin crew wo had a laptop was just told to switch on the computer but she said the customs guy didnt really look at any files etc. I later found out that it was probably a windows update that screwed the system on my computer up.
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From: "HARD" TO TELL.....
Spoke to solicitor friend of mine regarding this.
As many people use laptops/notebooks for business (including ailrline crew!),there is often personal and financial info on these machines,so the view of the law is that you DO NOT have to hand over such info to anybody - INCLUDING customs..
Hence the reason why the MAS capt/FO was asked to pay a fine,as opposed to a courtcase..which would certainly have failed to get anyone convicted.I'm not trying to justify any form of porn etc on computers,but there you go..
So..next time you're down in Oz and they ask you to switch on your laptop or hand it over for inspection..just say "NO"
As many people use laptops/notebooks for business (including ailrline crew!),there is often personal and financial info on these machines,so the view of the law is that you DO NOT have to hand over such info to anybody - INCLUDING customs..
Hence the reason why the MAS capt/FO was asked to pay a fine,as opposed to a courtcase..which would certainly have failed to get anyone convicted.I'm not trying to justify any form of porn etc on computers,but there you go..
So..next time you're down in Oz and they ask you to switch on your laptop or hand it over for inspection..just say "NO"