At a secret location, members of the governing council for a public organization have gathered for a regular meeting. The council president declares the start of session and addresses the councilors.
"Welcome councilors. As you know, details of the last meeting, specifically statements from several council members have been leaked to the public. We know one councilor had held a press conference after the meeting, revealing some of the discussions from the meeting to the public. I will not name names, but it is obvious who the culprit is.
"Given his past behaviour. The council deems this councilor untrustworthy and should be excused from this meeting unless he promises not to reveal any discussion from this meeting to any outsiders. All those agree?" Most councilors raise their hands and say Aye.
"All those oppose?" Some councilors raised their hands and say Nay.
The president turns to address councilor A. "councilor. The council has ruled that you shall be excused from the meeting unless you agree in writing that you will not reveal any matters arising in this meeting. Will you agree?"
Councilor A rises and refuses to sign the agreement. The president rules that councilor A should be removed from the meeting. councilor A protests but the president states that the ruling is final. councilor A is escorted away.
The president resumes. "Now that the untrustworthy one is gone. We are now free to discuss anything."
At this moment councilor B puts his mug on the table. councilor C raises her hand and addresses councilor B. "councilor. The caterers have provided beverages for us. It is not necessary for you to bring your own beverage. Unless ... "
Councilor B feels puzzled and asks "Unless what?"
"Unless the mug has been bugged. Show me that there is no hidden camera or microphone in it."
Councilor B then opens the mug and pours tea into a cup. "See. This is simply a mug. Nothing more."
The president asks the venue staff to remove all beverage containers. The councilors keep a close eye on the venue staff to ensure they don't leave anything behind. Afterwards councilor D raises his hand. "Hold on. Cameras and microphones may be hidden somewhere else. Have the tables and chairs been swept for bugs?"
In response, the president states that he had personally performed a sweep of the room before the meeting. He then asks the councilor if there are any other questions regarding eavesdropping devices.
Councilor E raises her hand. "If cameras and microphones can be placed inside mugs, they can be hidden anywhere."
The president then asks all councilors to empty their pockets. Councilor E feels satisfied, but councilor F remains skeptical. "Equipment may be attached to someone's clothing," he says.
The suggestion causes a stir. The president asks "are you suggesting that we undress?"
Councilor F shakes his head. "Of course not! You said you swept the room beforehand, correct? We can cover ourselves with the table cloth in the room."
"Anything else?" asks the president.
"We should check each other's hair as well."
Councilors are paired up in random and scrambles to change. Each inspecting his/her partner and rubbing the partner's hair to see if anything suspicious is attached to the partner's body.
After the councilors have changed, councilor B asks if the meeting can actually begin. Before he finishes, councilor G suggests that councilors should be hung upside down so that any eavesdropping device would drop to the ground." Moans are heard around the room, but the president asks the venue staff to hang each councilor, including himself, upside down.
With the councilors hanging like bats, councilor become silent. The president declares the meeting open. "The first business on the agenda: how to ensure nothing from council meetings would be recorded and leaked to outsiders."