アメリカの議会で，VoIPや携帯のデータ通信など”全ての”データ通信に3%の課税を行う話が出たりしているらしい．まだ全然決定には至っていないようだけど，データ通信すべてということであれば，もちろんSkypeやオープンソースソフトのDLでさえも課税されるんだろうなぁ．もし決定してしまうとかなり状況が変わりそうな予感．
常になにかしらのデータ通信しているようなユビキタス社会の実現なんか無理になりそう．．．ぇー．
This is still a few steps away from being a reality, but the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation is floating a proposal that the 3% Federal excise tax on telecommunications, which up until now only covered regular telephone lines, be extended to include “all data communications services to end users.” According to CNET, that includes broadband, dial-up, cellphones, and VoIP (that means Skype, too). No legislation has been passed or anything, and there’s also some alternative proposals that would “merely” extend the tax to cover cellphone calls and/or VoIP calls (as if there weren’t enough weird little taxes and regulatory fees added to cellphone bills already). Either way, sounds like the party’s over!
Engadgetの記事
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000137030087/
CNETの元記事
http://news.com.com/Congress+proposes+tax+on+all+Net,+data+connections/2100-1028_3-5555385.html?tag=nefd.top
