Do you have any porn to declare???
I first heard of this story on CNET’s Buzz Out Loud podcast, episode 1232 this morning, but for some reason, it did not actually make the Australian news vendors until this evening. An interesting thing considering that it originated here, but it would seem that in a rather sneaky move Australian Customs and Border Protection staff have been granted permission to ask passengers coming into Australia whether they possess pornography in their luggage or on their person.
Changes to customs declarations have changed the first question from “Do you possess Objectionable Content” (god I hate that term) to “Do you possess Pornography.”
Now I’m not the first person today who has read this and wondered, what the hell? From as far as I can tell no other country is this conservative, in that they are simply asking travellers if they possess pornography, and if they tick yes, then Customs have every right to go through your bag, and check your laptop and mobile for pornography.
One of the biggest problems of this whole thing, aside from being completely ambiguous and yet, completely expected from this government, is that it does not actually specify what qualifies as pornography, the presenters of Buzz Out Loud, joke about it on their show that what one person qualifies as pornography, is completely harmless to another and vice versa. While it is obvious that it is another attempt to stop that elusive kiddie porn, and bestiality, but doesn’t actually state on the card that is what they are looking for.
One large argument against this move is that they do no stipulate what actually qualifies as pornographic; so that means every scantily clad mirror shot, or photo taken of your partner in some exotic location, or even a sext promising a late night romp, to simple photos of your infant in the bathtub could potentially wind you up in jail.
While the opposition to this change is almost unanimous, with the general consensus is that this is an invasion of privacy, one must really look at this government with their history of trying to sanitize the internet of pornography, this act isn’t really expected from them. Unfortunately the biggest problem to come out of this thing, is that we had to find out about it, after it came out… not before.
While the Federal Home Affairs Minister, Mr Brendan O’Connor continues to profess that this was in the nations best interest, and the reference to pornography was deliberate, as people ‘understood the meaning of the word’ over the word that it replaced, unfortunately, one problem I can find with this, well aside from just another pieces of evidence to support the claim that this government has lost the plot. is that Objectionable Content, doesn’t just restrict itself to pornography.
A number of people I have spoken about this to, have wondered just how exactly this kind of thing could be enforced, or even investigated considering that nearly every male will have on their phone, a picture or video of something that could be considered pornographic, or will have a ‘lads mag’ in their carry on, purchased from the airport newsagent. And to those lasses who photograph themselves in the mirror, is it pornographic if the photo’s are of yourself?
Buzz Out Loud, once more suggested that in protest that everyone coming to Australia should declare they have pornography; unfortunately those lines are already full of people that already do.
Doc <3 ZuneHD
While all the news flying around the blogosphere has for the most part being dedicated almost exclusively to the iPad which was released on Friday in Australia, I have been blissfully playing away with another, smaller multi-touch device that arrived that Monday. Unlike the other multi-touch device that was released last week, this one does not have an apple on the back; this one of course has a tiny Z.
Despite that the Zune HD was officially released in the United States last year, and currently has no plans of release in Australia; as my previous device was a 4gig Zune 2, I jumped at the chance to pick up a 16gig Zune HD. Almost as if by design, its arrival before the iPad launch gave me enough to amuse myself long enough for that other device to be released without comment.
I had both the Zune 2 and the Zune HD on my desk for roughly four hours before I gave the Zune 2 to Chantelle to replace her iPod Nano, an interesting historical repeat considering that that same Zune replaced the iPod Nano, Cuscal gave me while I was working there. Hers was being reset, mine was being updated, which the software did simultaneously with no problems.
Suffice to say that it was an uplifting experience seeing two Zune cables sticking out of a computer that used to have one black Zune cable, and one white iPod cable.
While I had not initially intended to give Chantelle my Zune 2, as for the longest time, all I had heard from her was her wish to purchase the iPod Touch and subsequent iPhone; and initially I decided to keep the Zune 2 as a backup player, something I could use while costuming, so it came as a surprise to me when she approached me and asked for my old Zune to replace her precious iPod Nano. Since showing her the Zune HD, I can say that the iPod infiltration of my house has been dealt with as she wants one as well.
That is something that I’m seeing replicated whenever I show this device to people, the first question is what is it, the second question after I show them some of the features is where can I get one. Unfortunately for reasons known only to Microsoft, they have restricted this devices sale to North America only, despite continued requests from other markets, they seem reluctant to release any devices of the Zune Family elsewhere, though that hasn’t stopped the most dedicated of fans from simply importing them from the US and bypassing the region security by registering US Region addresses.
I had hoped to have a picture of my HD, but for some reason my camera is playing up, so I will most likely have one before the next episode of the DocReport, as for the iPad, the only thing I have to say in regards to that overpriced etch-a-sketch, is that I have no intention of getting one or any of its successive devices.
Zune HD