State Legislature Attempts to Tax All Digital Downloads

[Soviet Steve]

While I don't think online goods should be taxed differently than others, I still think that the legal bs of gamers only leasing their games should be factored in.

I do love the mentality of the industry though, "What? We have to pay taxes? No way, we're selfish pricks. Go forth internet, they don't count on our personal army."

 

[MrFalconfly]

8%?!?

Pfffffft. Where I come from there's a mandatory 25% tax on everything (and then depending on the product you are buying there are other kinds of taxes being added).

 

[darksakul]

Before you can start taxing downloads, something needs to be cleared up.

We need to make it clear are digital downloads property and goods or services rendered?
Who owns the game while DRM is involved me or the game publisher?

 

[Alpha Maeko]

Speaking of taxes, screw income and all the other taxes. Just put a static 25% universal sales tax. It'll suck at first, but then you realize that nobody has to file taxes anymore 'cept the businesses, and the IRS can be downsized to boot.

Meh. This internet tax thing doesn't bother me that much.

 

[Frostbyte666]

On the 1 hand I can understand since if you bought it locally you'd pay the tax on it, on the other hand with a digital sale you do not have a physical copy of the media you are buying. But then that should make the product/service cheaper digitally while the tax stays the same.

 

[burningdragoon]

Ah good old Delaware, home of tax-free shopping.

captch: goody gumdrop - that's... interesting

 

[Something Amyss]

I know this is not going to be a very popular view but, if it's a sale and Connecticut already has a sales tax, shouldn't be in place already? Yes it sucks, but we should come with a better justification for not having this that "because its something WE like"

Funny story: Your income tax statement requires you to pay the difference between your tax rate and any out-of-state purchases if the taxes are less. Every state with a sales tax has such a provision. I even just double checked this to make sure my facts were in order.

This means you already have to account for these on your income tax. A lot of people don't pay it, and a lot of people don't understand the provision, but by law, you are required.

Greg Tito is advocating tax fraud, which is funny when you consider the ToU of the Escapist.

It's not just protesting something we don't like, it's protesting something that's already in existence. The major difference here, of course, is that it would no longer depend on self-reporting.

 

[Something Amyss]

SO WAIT. Steam doesn't pay tax, but STILL THE PRICES ARE THE SAME AS PHYSICAL STORES THAT DO PAY TAX?!

They don't charge tax, either. In the US tax is not typically included in the prices of products as listed.

So there's still a difference between paying for a fifty dollar game with 8% tax and a 50 dollar game without.

Of course, as I just mentioned, you're still legally obligated to account for this different on your income tax, but for the intents of this discussion, where few people probably do that or even understand it there remains a sizable difference.

 

[Something Amyss]

Before you can start taxing downloads, something needs to be cleared up.

We need to make it clear are digital downloads property and goods or services rendered?
Who owns the game while DRM is involved me or the game publisher?

as far as im aware you own a license. Same as any other piece of software from adobe to word, and that license is valid until you break their terms of service.

At least thats how it is here. I don't know every set of laws for it everywhere.

In the States, however (Where this is taking place), game companies (and other media companies) are trying to play wave-particle duality and count as both for select purposes.

 

[Something Amyss]

You 'mericans do everything weird

Like your measuring systems...

I stand by our policy of sixty furlongs to the dram!

 

[Pearwood]

Keep the UK government away from this, I could do without paying 20% VAT.

 

[Farther than stars]

I fall into the camp which appears to be the most popular opinion here: "let them tax the games". For those of you who have an issue with paying a couple of extra dollars for a game, let me remind you where you're putting your loyalty;
Left-wing government, such as the Democrats, are pro taxing so that it can pay for the upholding of society, i.e. everything from paving roads to making sure that there are teachers in schools. Right-wing government, such as the Republicans, on the other hand are against taxes, because they would rather have the more money remains with the individual.
Just remember whose side you're on if you come out against this bill.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

Keep the UK government away from this, I could do without paying 20% VAT.

Gotta wonder how many politicians are pro gaming, compared with, say, batshit crazy loons like Keith Vaz,still trying to blame everything from knife crime to the world wide financial crisis on Manhunt on the PS2.

I can think of Tom Watson as the only one who might vote in favour of anything game related, as he's the one who got caught up in Portal 2 and fell behind on his required reading for work

Really tho, video games are something that the poor people do, because they can't afford a horse for polo and fox hunting, of course they'll tax it!

 

[Farther than stars]

Wait, american states collect taxes? Well this is going to be a clusterfuck. Make it a federal tax, and divy out the money to the states (off population please, not electoral importance)

Haha! But if they didn't divide the money between the states according to electoral importance, politicians wouldn't get the votes they needed to win the elections. Welcome to the world of politics.

P.S. Did you know that an anagrams of "election results" is "lies! let's recount"?

 

[Something Amyss]

I fall into the camp which appears to be the most popular opinion here: "let them tax the games". For those of you who have an issue with paying a couple of extra dollars for a game, let me remind you where you're putting your loyalty;
Left-wing government, such as the Democrats, are pro taxing so that it can pay for the upholding of society, i.e. everything from paving roads to making sure that there are teachers in schools. Right-wing government, such as the Republicans, on the other hand are against taxes, because they would rather have the more money remains with the individual.
Just remember whose side you're on if you come out against this bill.

Oversimplifications aside, I'm not sure you're going to sway people with that logic, since this country tends more conservative than liberal.

Besides, the conservative line has "generally" been pro-selfishness, and the gamer is a rather selfish beast. Which do you think matters to this lot more: The betterment of society, or not paying extra for games?

 

[Farther than stars]

Really tho, video games are something that the poor people do, because they can't afford a horse for polo and fox hunting, of course they'll tax it!

I guess that depends on what you call "poor people". In my opinion if you can afford any kind of gaming console, you're rich enough to pay tax.