The Coalition for taxing the Internet

There’s a group called the Coalition for Better Broadcasting, but a better name would be the Coalition for Taxing the Internet.

They want to tax Internet users, through our ISPs, to fund their pet projects. Their argument is that people should be forced to fund content they don’t like:

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have a double obligation – they profit in the culture space and they pay nothing for the content (websites, apps etc) they provide access to. In NZ there are many websites, videos and blogs made on the smell of an oily rag. Audiences flock to these sites but their money goes to the ISP. A levy on ISPs would close the loop creating an online eco-system that actually benefits everyone.

So remember this if you hear the CBB advocate for something. They are advocating to tax the Internet to pay for their pet projects. Think of the awful precedent it would set. Why stop at broadcasting. Let’s tax the Internet to pay for bookstores. Let’s tax the Internet to fund bands. Let’s tax the Internet to fund theatre and plays.