# Why would anyone rational person consent to appear on a border security show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 28, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-anyone-rational-person-consent-to-appear-on-a-border-security-show/773290 "2016-11-28T16:32:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![femmejean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/0ea827/32.png) [@femmejean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femmejean)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-anyone-rational-person-consent-to-appear-on-a-border-security-show/773290/1 "2016-11-28T16:32:03Z")
I know those living in the US certainly have on cable Border Security: America’s Front Line which I think has ceased production , but I’m not sure about Border Security: Australia’s Front Line (Nothing To Declare) or UK Border Force. What puzzles me about all these shows is that people who aren’t criminals agree to be filmed without having their face covered. Once these shows air, they are broadcast internationally (where the original network gives the license. In this case Seven allows the Australian version to be shown in multiple countries); The UK, Ireland, Mainland Europe, probably even Canada or US. And if you’ve made a muck of yourself on television, it’s used as a humorous promo/teaser **over and over**. I don’t think it’s paranoia as some may say. Future job opportunities and social/romantic relationships would be hampered significantly if someone saw you on that show going on a rant at a customs officer. Ironically appearing on CNN International which is broadcast live to a greater audience worldwide would be more covert than appearing on this show where you were ‘that Funky Guy’. The former is only once whereas this is recorded. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-anyone-rational-person-consent-to-appear-on-a-border-security-show/773290/2 "2016-11-28T17:24:44Z")
They get paid. In fact, they may actually be professional actors rather than the actual people who were involved in the original incidents. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-anyone-rational-person-consent-to-appear-on-a-border-security-show/773290/3 "2016-11-28T17:28:49Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > They get paid. > > In fact, they may actually be professional actors rather than the actual people who were involved in the original incidents. While it certainly is _possible,_ do you have any evidence that actors were ever used without any clear notification to the unsuspecting viewer? ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-anyone-rational-person-consent-to-appear-on-a-border-security-show/773290/4 "2016-11-28T17:35:20Z")
Some people like to be on TV; the producers have said that on COPS (which definitely doesn’t pay suspects) a lot of people were eager to sign the consent form and wanted to know when they’d be on TV, even though they were getting arrested. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-anyone-rational-person-consent-to-appear-on-a-border-security-show/773290/5 "2016-11-28T18:06:50Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > Some people like to be on TV; the producers have said that on COPS (which definitely doesn’t pay suspects) a lot of people were eager to sign the consent form and wanted to know when they’d be on TV, even though they were getting arrested. This was lampshaded in _My Name Is Earl_ in the episodes _Our “COPS” Is On!_ and _Our Other “COPS” Is On!_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-anyone-rational-person-consent-to-appear-on-a-border-security-show/773290/6 "2016-11-28T21:02:17Z")
> [@](#): > > Canada’s border agency is pulling the plug on the controversial reality TV program _Border Security_ after the federal privacy commissioner found the agency violated the rights of a construction worker filmed during a raid in Vancouver. > > – snip – > > During the agency raid of March 13, 2013, Mata Duran hid inside a building on the construction site but he was found and questioned by an officer about his identity, immigration status and employment. > > The Mexican man was later brought to an immigration detention facility, where he says he was presented with a consent form that he did not read but signed out of confusion and fear. > > **Upon viewing the raw footage taken by the film crew, the privacy commissioner’s office concluded the entire interaction between the border officer and Mata Duran was captured on video before he was advised of the purpose of the filming, let alone asked for his permission.** > > Ultimately, the commissioner was not satisfied that the border agency obtained Mata Duran’s “valid consent” for the filming. > > In general, the office concluded that due to the “coercive nature” of being detained by the border agency, those held “may not have a clear frame of mind to provide truly voluntary consent.” ( **Bolding mine.** ) [Border Security TV show canned after federal watchdog finds privacy violation | CBC News](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/border-security-cancelled-1.3632468) It appears the Australian version also films you without consent, and [Australian authorities appear complicit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Security:_Australia%27s_Front_Line#Criticism) in the subterfuge. ---
**Author:** ![bb49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b38774/32.png) [@bb49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bb49)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-anyone-rational-person-consent-to-appear-on-a-border-security-show/773290/7 "2016-11-28T22:30:14Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > They get paid. > > In fact, they may actually be professional actors rather than the actual people who were involved in the original incidents. They absolutely are not actors, professional or amateur. They are real people, sometimes pretty dumb people, who got caught up issues and technicalities at the border. We have a family member that is a police officer in a jurisdiction that borders the Washington/British Columbia border and until Canada’s politically correct government cancelled Border Security, he occasionally had to pick up perps at the border crossings and often saw these TV crews there. Anyone that was close to the camera was contacted and asked if they would consent to having their faces shown. Of course, this also applied to the perps who more often than not thought it would be cool to be shown on TV. So, to answer the OP’s question, many of them are not rational.