Who has the authority to tax digital purchases such as downloads of music, literature, movies, mobile apps and software? That seemingly simple question has yet to be resolved, and consumers are increasingly at risk of paying multiple taxes to different jurisdictions for the same digital transaction. A new proposal in Congress would change that. To […]
Taxing the Internet is a Bad Idea
For over 15 years, American’s have enjoyed untaxed access to the Internet, thanks in part to the Internet Tax Freedom Act of 1998, which provided that no entry point to the Internet could be taxed. Congress at that time understood the importance of keeping the barriers to entry as low as possible, giving as many […]
The Hill’s Congressional Blog: The Taxing Problem of Digital Goods
Currently, states can tax downloaded products – such as software, music and movies – in a variety of ways, and there are no rules in place for determining what the tax jurisdiction should be for these “digital” goods and services. As a result, it is possible that a consumer who downloads a ringtone could be […]
Beware: The Threat of Cyber Taxes
This op-ed was written by Steve Pociask and is available in Real Clear Policy.
On Digital Good: Resale and Taxes
Apple recently filed a patent on creating a digital marketplace where users could resell their previously purchased digital items (ringtones, music, movies, etc.) to other users, presumably at a discount price. As reported by PaidContent, this patent is similar to one filed by Amazon last month. Apple’s filing goes into great detail in how their […]
Pyramid Taxes Could Undo One of the Few Bright Spots in the Economy
Twenty years ago, your only option for buying a book or a getting a CD of your favorite music was to head to a Borders or Best Buy. You would find what you were looking for, take it to the counter, pay for it, and that would be the end of it. No complications. Today, […]
