A ‘vlogger’s’ border insecurity

Australian Story frequently uncovers some interesting subjects and Monday night’s looks like being no exception.

Daniel Meadows is a “vlogger” who has suffered from panic attacks and insomnia since he was a small boy. His video posts on YouTube have netted him some 2000 friends online and hits of up to 1.8m.

But Daniel fell for an American girl, Shannon, over the internet and sold his possessions on eBay to buy an airline ticket to Pittsburgh. But he was detained by Homeland Security and deported 24 hours later after a gruelling interrogation.

“I was thinking, ‘am I going to get out of here? Would I end up in Guantanamo Bay like David Hicks?’” he said.

After only 4 days from the safety of his bedroom he was back in there, without having met Shannon.

Australian Story airs 8pm Monday on ABC1.

Press Release:
In the past two years, Daniel Meadows has made nearly 2000 friends – all without leaving the comfort of his bedroom.

Daniel is a “vlogger”, someone who posts video blogs on YouTube. His style is quirky, self-effacing and popular. Some vlogs have attracted more than 1.8 million hits.

Plagued by panic attacks and insomnia since he was a small boy, Daniel, now 25, has found fame on the internet.

His biggest fan is Shannon, a beautiful young American girl with whom he’s fallen head over heels in love. But unable to sustain their e-romance, Daniel recently sold all his possessions on eBay and bought the cheapest fare he could find to take him to Pittsburgh, where he would at last meet Shannon face to face.

But fate intervened while transiting through Detroit airport. He was detained by the US Department of Homeland Security and deported 24 hours later after a gruelling interrogation.

More than four days after leaving his bedroom, Daniel Meadows was back home, bleary-eyed and disbelieving – and uploading a vlog that’s kick-started a frenzy of outraged vlogging and blogging across the world.

Daniel Meadows, vlogger

“I was thinking, ‘am I going to get out of here? Would I end up in Guantanamo Bay like David Hicks?’”

Shannon Jones, e-girlfriend

“I told him … I have to see you and if it means I have to fly to Australia, I’m going to do it.”