4 ms·

> company that's selling ads to a French company that wants to show those ads to French users is doing business in France, end of story. yeah, so taxes make se

by alt_f4 7y ago

> company that's selling ads to a French company that wants to show those ads to French users is doing business in France, end of story. yeah, so taxes make sense to pay for the roads, bridges and healthcare that these ads are using.

xkcd-sucks 7y ago
Given the effect of social networking products on mental health, in this light it absolutely makes sense for countries with nationalized healthcare to tax big tech
- alt_f4 7y ago
  well, it only "makes sense" in case you are literally insane
  - sctb 7y ago
    Could you please review the guidelines? You've been breaking them quite a bit and eventually we ban accounts that won't stop. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
99052882514569 7y ago
Taxes make sense to pay for the court system that's enforcing contracts, just to name the first thing that comes to mind.
ziddoap 7y ago
Where the taxes are coming from and what they are used for do not need to be in the same industry or sector. Maybe it's different where you live? E.G. An oil company being taxed for the revenue it made during an oil project does not get ear-marked for oil-only usage by the government.
Voloskaya 7y ago
Taxes in France (and in many other more [than the US] socialist countries) are not just about paying for the public infrastructure that you use. It's about contributing to the development of the society by taxing very lucrative businesses and individuals (and also taxing not so lucrative businesses sadly). If you are an individual in France, and you are well off, you will pay much more taxes than what the state pays in infrastructure for you, why do you think it should be different just for internet businesses? You may not agree with that philosophy, in which case you can decide to stop doing business in France. Considering the amount of cash GAFAs make, I would wager they will continue doing business in France and pay that 3% tax rather than miss 65M wealthy customers.
magashna 7y ago
Completely ignoring the cables that carry their data.
- greenyoda 7y ago
  Aren't the cables already paid for by the fees that subscribers pay to their ISPs for internet access?
  - unilynx 7y ago
    ISPs generally don’t own the land cables run over/under

by alt_f4 7y ago

xkcd-sucks 7y ago

Given the effect of social networking products on mental health, in this light it absolutely makes sense for countries with nationalized healthcare to tax big tech

alt_f4 7y ago
well, it only "makes sense" in case you are literally insane
- sctb 7y ago
  Could you please review the guidelines? You've been breaking them quite a bit and eventually we ban accounts that won't stop. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

99052882514569 7y ago

Taxes make sense to pay for the court system that's enforcing contracts, just to name the first thing that comes to mind.

ziddoap 7y ago

Where the taxes are coming from and what they are used for do not need to be in the same industry or sector. Maybe it's different where you live? E.G. An oil company being taxed for the revenue it made during an oil project does not get ear-marked for oil-only usage by the government.

Voloskaya 7y ago

Taxes in France (and in many other more [than the US] socialist countries) are not just about paying for the public infrastructure that you use. It's about contributing to the development of the society by taxing very lucrative businesses and individuals (and also taxing not so lucrative businesses sadly). If you are an individual in France, and you are well off, you will pay much more taxes than what the state pays in infrastructure for you, why do you think it should be different just for internet businesses? You may not agree with that philosophy, in which case you can decide to stop doing business in France. Considering the amount of cash GAFAs make, I would wager they will continue doing business in France and pay that 3% tax rather than miss 65M wealthy customers.

magashna 7y ago

Completely ignoring the cables that carry their data.

greenyoda 7y ago
Aren't the cables already paid for by the fees that subscribers pay to their ISPs for internet access?
- unilynx 7y ago
  ISPs generally don’t own the land cables run over/under