http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57449375-83/u.n-could-tax-u.s.-based-web-sites-leaked-docs-show/
U.N. could tax U.S.-based Web sites, leaked docs show (can download a pdf)
U.N. could tax U.S.-based Web sites, leaked docs show
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mikiem2
ModeratorIMO that CNET article is just the barest tip of the iceberg -- that's not to say it's not good. Thanks.
I don't want to inject politics, don't want to open that door, so please forgive me as I write this in a bit round-a-bout way. The top U.S. cable news station as far as ratings go is Foxnews -- it's owned by the same company as SkyNews, the same company that owns the tabloid(s) involved in the legal scandal in the UK. Foxnews is sometimes conservative, sometimes not so much depending on whose show is airing, whether it's opinion/commentary or straight news or something from their biz network. And more liberal people & media Love to beat them up.
I'm going to mention a journalist, George Russell, Executive Editor Fox News, & I don't want to start a firestorm of controversy with claims & counterclaims all about Foxnews, which is why I start with such an intro. Info is Info - decide for yourself.
George Russell [Google/Bing "george russell executive editor fox news" or similar] writes occasionally for foxnews.com, most always about the UN, where he's got what seems a fair amount of inside sources -- most everything he writes is accompanied by copies of [often leaked] UN docs. You may/may not agree with his take on things, with his sometimes voiced opinions, but in most cases you can always read those docs & form your own opinions. He's written a few pieces on the UN & the Internet.
Long story short, & I'm being purely analytical here, governments & government leaders like to control & tax, simply because that's how they manage their citizens & how they pay for it. A fair example is everything about the VAT. The Internet has always been a thorn in their side because it resists both control & taxation. Many countries would like to change that, & many more would like to turn a blind eye to their efforts -- they'd like to do the same thing, but it's not immediately, politically possible... if however it became common practice through say a world body like the UN, that gives them political cover, as in: "Hey, it wasn't Me".
The UN's been trying to take control of the Internet for quite some time, getting a bit closer every year. It's known for it's many committees & sub-organizations -- it's somewhat common for countries to hijack or at least heavily influence any outcome in their favor, e.g. Gaddafi's Libya as chair of the Human Rights Council. Some countries censor the Internet already, & there are leaders in many, many more countries pushing for censorship. Many countries demand [& usually get] access to backdoors to monitor otherwise secure communications over the Internet -- India was the latest one I'm aware of that received a lot of attention. Countries that you probably think of as the most repressive &/or controlling in those regards have for some time been trying to get UN sanction to do what they do already. [That may sound silly to some, but to many people, to many countries, the way that the rest of the world sees them matters, a Lot.]
So yeah, the stuff that CNET's reporting on makes sense. In the U.S. there's a bit of a battle going on between streaming video companies, notably Netflix, & the companies that own the Internet infrastructure that carries that streaming video -- they want a cut of the profits. There are plenty of figures, reports, statistics on both sides. I'm Not taking a side one way or the other, but practically speaking there's no reason other companies & or countries couldn't/wouldn't ask for their share too -- even *if* they were totally unjustified, few will ever turn down free money. The UN would be interested for the same reason as most any broker -- for helping the transaction happen you get a cut, a portion of the money that changes hands. And they'd be interested because whenever you control a small piece of something, it's easier to gain control over more -- you've set or established precedent.
Posted 12 years ago #
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