[governance] France Proposes an Internet Tax

[Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro]

On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 8:49 AM, Milton L Mueller <mueller at syr.edu> wrote:

>  ** **
>
> ** **
>
> 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.*
>
> **
>
Transfer pricing was mentioned in the French Proposal and I assume that on
products/services that VAT would be apply. What makes me curious is the
methodology that will be used precisely?

On a similar note, there is an interesting article published on July 2012
called Carriage vrs Content by Geoff Huston, see:
http://www.potaroo.net/ispcol/2012-07/carriagevcontent.html


> **
>
> *[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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-- 
Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro aka Sala
P.O. Box 17862
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