odd Question
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ok, this came to mind the other day, and so I thought I'd ask around about it.
say the police show up at your house for a completely unrelated matter, and one of the officers happens to notice that you are downloading (for this example, I'll say a movie that's still in theaters.) Can the cops do anything about it?
say the police show up at your house for a completely unrelated matter, and one of the officers happens to notice that you are downloading (for this example, I'll say a movie that's still in theaters.) Can the cops do anything about it?
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If police officer sees someone commiting a criminal act, they are duty bound to take action, they are not allowed to just ignore it. You should expect to face what ever fines or cautions your country has.
Though if they are of the lazy dohnut eating variety, they may just give you a ticking off/ laugh and ignore you/ ask for a bribe.
Though if they are of the lazy dohnut eating variety, they may just give you a ticking off/ laugh and ignore you/ ask for a bribe.
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Do you happen to have your computer turned towards the door/window so that cops can see it clearly without actually entering your house or sneaking around it? They're allowed to come in and bust you if you answer the door while cutting six pounds of coke on your living room table and they see it but otherwise they can't do anything. If you let them in or they're allowed in for another reason then you better hope they don't find whatever it is you want to hide.
In regards to downloading, it's fairly unlikely that they'd ever even notice it.
In regards to downloading, it's fairly unlikely that they'd ever even notice it.
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Do you happen to have your computer turned towards the door/window so that cops can see it clearly without actually entering your house or sneaking around it? They're allowed to come in and bust you if you answer the door while cutting six pounds of coke on your living room table and they see it but otherwise they can't do anything. If you let them in or they're allowed in for another reason then you better hope they don't find whatever it is you want to hide.
In regards to downloading, it's fairly unlikely that they'd ever even notice it.
In regards to downloading, it's fairly unlikely that they'd ever even notice it.
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As long as its not in what is legally defined as "plain sight", even if the cops were to see it, any charges against you would be thrown out.
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With an SSH computer downloading 'headless' [no monitor/keyboatd/mouse] and my desktop being well out of the way [and locked when I leave it], there's no easy way for them to see it. All you have to do [if you're a Windows person] is slap the Windows key and the L key at the same time! Then anyone wandering past wouldn't know if you were doing anything. Another handy option is being paranoid [like me] and encrypting anything that might get you into serious trouble. The odd game and movie might just have you paying for the thing. But if you start downloading in the extremes, it may pay to TrueCrypt everything you download into a virtual drive.
tl;dr?
Nah, don't worry about it. Unless you are waving DVDs around saying "DID YOU SEE THIS PIRATED DVD?" I think you'll be OK.
tl;dr?
Nah, don't worry about it. Unless you are waving DVDs around saying "DID YOU SEE THIS PIRATED DVD?" I think you'll be OK.
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1) Unless they have a search warrant the cops can't come in your house unless you invite them in or their chasing a felon. So just keep your computer away from the front door.
2) Even if they see it "in plain sight" in most states cops are then forced to get a search warrant with the evidence that they saw in the warrant. But they can get them relatively fast (telephonic warrant/over the telephone).
-Reokue
2) Even if they see it "in plain sight" in most states cops are then forced to get a search warrant with the evidence that they saw in the warrant. But they can get them relatively fast (telephonic warrant/over the telephone).
-Reokue
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Reokue wrote...
1) Unless they have a search warrant the cops can't come in your house unless you invite them in or their chasing a felon. So just keep your computer away from the front door.2) Even if they see it "in plain sight" in most states cops are then forced to get a search warrant with the evidence that they saw in the warrant. But they can get them relatively fast (telephonic warrant/over the telephone).
-Reokue
Here's something I have saved regarding plain sight circumstances... you know, just in case I need it.
...if the officer is legitimately on the premises, his observation is from a legitimate vantage point, and it is immediately apparent that the evidence is contraband, the officer is within his right to seize the object in question. When police arrest an individual, they are also permitted to conduct a full search of the suspect's person, any area within that person's immediate reach, and any vehicle which they recently occupied, for weapons or other contraband. If the subject is arrested in a home, police may search the room in which they were arrested, and perform a 'protective sweep' of the premises where there is reasonable fear that other individuals may be hiding. Searches are also allowed in emergency situations where the public is in danger.
With rented property, a landlord may not authorize law enforcement to search a tenant's premises without a search warrant, and a warrant must be obtained under the same guidelines as if it were the tenant's own home. But in some jurisdictions, a hotel room may be searched by consent of the hotel's management without the guest's approval or a warrant.
With rented property, a landlord may not authorize law enforcement to search a tenant's premises without a search warrant, and a warrant must be obtained under the same guidelines as if it were the tenant's own home. But in some jurisdictions, a hotel room may be searched by consent of the hotel's management without the guest's approval or a warrant.
If, for whatever reason, the plain sight justification itself is inadmissible, if incriminating evidence can be reintroduced under the doctrine of inevitable discovery.
Regardless of actual legal policies, if you're dumb enough to have the computer positioned so that a cop can recognize any kind of incriminating activity going on, you should either be arrested on the spot for being so fucking stupid. Either that, shot, castrated, or by any other means, sterilized because you're idiocy makes you a detriment to the species.
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Waar
FAKKU Moderator
might want to specify where you're from as different countries have different laws...
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just because they can see SOMETHING downloading does not mean they have any sort of probable cause or anything. and if you have your computer close enough that they can read exactly what you are downloading well then....you kinda been asking for it. then again most cops prolly pirate just as much stuff as you do. least in my area they do.
