NZ citizen laptop, phones, usb confiscated by NZ customs on return to NZ

Forums › Off topic › NZ citizen laptop, phones, usb confiscated by NZ customs on return to NZ

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gzt

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#951792 13-Dec-2013 17:55

kingjj: [...] for all we know he's on a list as a suspected dodgy image traffickers ("objectionable material" covers all matter of sins) and the Snowden thing is a just a convenient excuse to force customs hand. [...]

I find it strange they would tell him nothing but they tell the media it was suspicion of objectionable material.

[Edit: My mistake. Customs later told him. From the original article: "However, a Customs official has since told him they were searching everything for objectionable material under the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993."]

I looked up the NZ definition. It is very specific - to the point where he can potentially sue the crown for defamation if a public official outside parliament is saying that kind of thing and it is absolutely not true.

[Edit: As per edit above obviously there is no defamation if he already discussed that with media himself prior to any public comment from customs.]

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#951869 13-Dec-2013 19:40

If there's not a 2nd side to this story (ie: he's in some way actually dodgy) this is pretty disgusting and sad for NZ.

Technofreak

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#951907 13-Dec-2013 21:10

I'd be inclined to say I ain't going nowhere and neither is any of my stuff leaving my possession until I have a lawyer present and you tell us exactly what you're looking for and what your grounds of suspiscion are.

From what I have read even though the law might be on the side of customs I see this as out and out harrassment.

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jeffnz

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#951912 13-Dec-2013 21:26

given there isn't much information and we are only hearing one side of it I'll reserve my opinion to a later stage, seems some already know the whole story and judging already

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#951915 13-Dec-2013 21:41

jeffnz: given there isn't much information and we are only hearing one side of it I'll reserve my opinion to a later stage, seems some already know the whole story and judging already

gzt

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#952006 14-Dec-2013 06:13

Customs have returned the gear and provided an explanation. News this morning:

"He said he was told by a Customs official that his name matched a username on an account for an internet service provider in 2007. He said he was told someone using the account accessed objectionable material on a specific date in 2007. Mr Blackman said the account, which was in a university student flat, was used by all the people living in the flat. "And I wasn't even living at the address they gave me for the internet account.""

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11172303

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vexxxboy

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#952038 14-Dec-2013 09:07

tea. cup. storm.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

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#952057 14-Dec-2013 09:46

So his real name matched an internet account username, not the name on file as the owner of the internet account? What a crock.

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#952062 14-Dec-2013 09:52

Technofreak: I'd be inclined to say I ain't going nowhere and neither is any of my stuff leaving my possession until I have a lawyer present and you tell us exactly what you're looking for and what your grounds of suspiscion are.

From what I have read even though the law might be on the side of customs I see this as out and out harrassment.

Would you see the police doing the same (with warrant based on same suspicion) as harassment as well?

kingjj

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#952063 14-Dec-2013 09:52

gzt: Customs have returned the gear and provided an explanation. News this morning:

"He said he was told by a Customs official that his name matched a username on an account for an internet service provider in 2007. He said he was told someone using the account accessed objectionable material on a specific date in 2007. Mr Blackman said the account, which was in a university student flat, was used by all the people living in the flat. "And I wasn't even living at the address they gave me for the internet account.""

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11172303

So it had nothing to do with Snowden or other conspiracy theories and was related to being on a list as a possible sharer of content... vexxxboy sums it up well... looking forward to the next bandwagon to pass though town.

gzt

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#952095 14-Dec-2013 10:56

To me also this provides a mostly rational explanation about how this occurred. There are still some remaining questions, and the guy can probably get answers to those using the privacy act. Also he's going to want to get off that list, which I assume can be achieved by presenting evidence that he was not at the address.

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#952097 14-Dec-2013 11:04

loceff13:
Technofreak: I'd be inclined to say I ain't going nowhere and neither is any of my stuff leaving my possession until I have a lawyer present and you tell us exactly what you're looking for and what your grounds of suspiscion are.

From what I have read even though the law might be on the side of customs I see this as out and out harrassment.

Would you see the police doing the same (with warrant based on same suspicion) as harassment as well?

Maybe not harassment, but it is a stretch to call that 'reasonable cause'. It's the same logic that puts 700,000 people (including movie stars and actual sitting US Senators) on the no-fly list because they have names that are kinda-sorta like the names of people who are apparently so dangerous they shouldn't be allowed on a plane, but so innocent you can't pick them up and charge them with anything. By that same logic, I'm also kinda-sorta a fairly well selling science fiction author, and I deserve a cut of his profits.

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