[governance] France Proposes an Internet Tax

[Milton L Mueller]

Milton, is it that you don't like this particular tax or that you don't like taxes in general.

[Milton L Mueller] My message makes it abundantly clear what I don't like about it: the rationale is phony (work without pay); it's a political attempt to capitalize on anti-Google/FB sentiment (tax them because we don't like them); it looks suspiciously like an attempt at discrimination based on national origin; it is stupidly conceived (it taxes advertisers, the customers of Google/FB, which does not help users who allegedly work without pay.)

what you would replace it with to obtain revenues from this emerging sector assuming that you think folks like Google and their Internet compatriots should pay their fair share as very many are now insisting.
If it is the latter I would be curious to know how you see responsible states being able to meet the challenge of reponding to the collective challenges/responsibilities of the modern state so ably articulated last evening by your President.

[Milton L Mueller] A corporate income tax, a personal income tax and a VAT - all of which Europe already has - capture growth in any "emerging sector." Or are you advocating taxing things just for the sake of taxing them? Frankly, that wouldn't surprise me.

[Milton L Mueller] Besides, no case has been made that the French government really needs more money, or that social media impose costs on it that need to be recovered. But if it does need additional revenues for legitimate purposes, then they can increase the rate of neutral taxes and not target them on specific types of businesses based on misconceptions about the underlying bargain behind social media. Unless, of course, you think social media, like alcohol and tobacco, are inherently bad and need to be taxed to discourage their use. (Do you? Then come out and say it.)


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