
Utah K-9 sniffs out porn – or the devices that carry it, anyway - slantyyz
http://www.sltrib.com/news/4031044-155/utah-k-9-sniffs-out-porn-
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bediger4000
This is more-or-less complete rubbish. Does a "porn" image file have a
different odor than a non-porn image file? Only a credulous loon would believe
a headline like that.

I'm not even sure that "the devices that carry it" actually makes sense
either, even though the article says: "Because the chemical URL can smell is
distinct for storage devices, he isn't confused by remote controls or garage
door openers." I'm going to have to call BS on this - the article lumps DVDs,
USB storage, and memory cards as "storage devices".

Yeah, this article is bunk. It's a pure police PR plant. If this kind of
information is just floating around, part of common knowledge, then police can
use "porn dogs" to find "evidence" at will.

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qbrass
The idea is to find any storage devices you hid when they serve a warrant, not
to do spot checks for porn. It doesn't matter if the dog finds your car keys
or the TV remote you lost in the couch, if it eventually finds your stash of
illegal music or that video tape you forgot to take back to Blockbuster that
they're trying to bust you for.

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bediger4000
Really, you don't need to apologize for the Utah police being dumb enough to
repeat that "special scent only storage devices give off" rubbish. It's OK,
the US Supreme Court almost always says we citizens have to give police a pass
based on their verified Good Intentions.

But it's still stupid to believe that yourself. "Storage devices" (except
maybe DVDs or CD ROMs) are made of the same components with the same processes
as Tee vee remotes, cell phones, laptops, you name it. They're not going to
smell special, even to a dog, and they're really not going to smell special if
there's porn on them. Bits are bits, dude.

Either URL is a fake (likely) or he just alerts on subconscious clues from the
policeman (highly likely). He's going to be like those drug-sniffing dogs that
mainly detect cheese and sausage: the police will end up finding and returning
a lot of lost remotes, and using fishy evidence in court, contributing to
disrespect of law enforcement, and the US legal system in general.

