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  • From: matusiak <dave AT matusiak.org>
  • To: "Internetworkers:http"@happyhouse.metalab.unc.edu://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/ <internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc:
  • Subject: [internetworkers] Outgoing Package Inspections at Post Office
  • Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 15:02:34 -0400

hey all --

I just had a strange experience and I'm interested to know if anyone else has had similar. Basically, I mail a good bit of stuff to folks around the world -- pictures, data cd-roms, stuffed animals, etc. In 15+ years of doing this, I've never been asked to have my package inspected before postage will be sold.

Well, at the PO today, I had to send off 5 soft mailers. The only contents were a paper slip (short personal note) and a cd-rom. Of course, I had them sealed and addressed before I ever left the house, so they were not "open" when I went to purchase postage.

Thankfully, the clerk I was dealing with appeared to be very new to the job. After getting me squared away with postage, never questioning what I was sending other than "CD-ROMs", I was ready to pay and get on with my day. At that point, I noticed a large-print note on the counter top. It clearly stated that ANY MEDIA (incl. books, tapes, CD-ROMs, magazines, etc) being sent in the mail had to come to the PO in an UNOPENED package that MUST BE inspected before postage is sold.

Well, we were clearly past this stage, but I curiously asked about the policy. The new clerk said it was just for "books," but I pointed down to the clip art images of cds and tapes and books and the words "ALL MEDIA" and asked for clarification. At this point, the other feistier clerk piped up and started making like they were gonna saw open my just completed packages.

I contested saying that the original clerk should have informed me of the new policy and that our transaction was completed. The ferociousness of my argument obviously paid off because she quickly retreated from this position. All in all, I got to send my packages with little bother, but they reinforced that IN THE FUTURE ALL MEDIA must be inspected before being sent.

Does this not sound like a way to track copyright infringers to you? Like I said, I've been mailing for many, many years and never had a problem. Now, all of a sudden (and a good 2 1/2 years after terrorism central) they want to inspect all media being mailed via their service? WTF?

Besides my above guesstimate, I have no idea what they are trying to prevent or what trick they are attempting to pull, but I feel as though my civil liberties just got a lot more restricted. Anyone else have this experience?

dave m.





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