France's Latest Plan: Tax Google, Microsoft And Yahoo To Fund Record Labels (original) (raw)

from the you-can't-make-this-stuff-up dept

If you thought France had already gone off the deep end with its plan to kick file sharers off the internet, now comes the news of a government report that suggests a new plan: tax successful big internet companies, like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft and use that money to fund the “music and publishing” sectors (which basically means the record labels). We’ve been pointing out how all of these attempts to bolster copyright laws have really been about propping up businesses that haven’t been able to adapt, but is there any more blatant example of this than taxing the companies that have figured out how to use the internet to fund those that haven’t?? This is entitlement culture in the extreme.

Apparently Nicolas Sarkozy will get “the last word” on whether or not to adopt this policy, which means that it’s pretty likely. Sarkozy — who has a long history of copyright infringement by his own party — seems to believe that stronger copyright means defending French culture, when it really just means handouts to a few failing businesses who haven’t wanted to adapt.

Update: Really good point made by Andrew F in the comments:

The Zelnick Report says the tax would kick in anytime an online ad or sponsored link is clicked in France. One of the most controversial items in the report is that it calls for a company to be taxed regardless of where it is based.

If that’s legal, it’s rather frightening. Nearly any website with ads could be taxed if visited by the French. Just wait for sites to start setting up IP filtering that blocks all French users.

Filed Under: france, nicolas sarkozy, record labels, tax
Companies: google, microsoft, yahoo