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I really hate that political doublespeak, as in 2nd paragraph: Germany’s federal commissioner for media and culture, Wolfram Weimer, told Stern magazine on
by galkk 1y ago
I really hate that political doublespeak, as in 2nd paragraph:
Germany’s federal commissioner for media and culture, Wolfram Weimer, told Stern magazine on Thursday that the new government is drafting a digital levy on global internet platforms, although alternatives like a voluntary commitment by the affected tech companies to pay more tax in Germany are also still under consideration.
voluntary...
- rf15 1y agopeople who see "Your money or your life" as a free choice scenario
- 6stringmerc 1y agoIn Texas the phrase has traditionally been “Plato o Plomo” which translates to “Silver or Lead” fyi
- saubeidl 1y agoIt's voluntary the same way people work shitty jobs "voluntarily". If they don't, they'll starve, but they always have that option I suppose. The beauty of the free market - either do what the capitalist class does or die, freely.
- loloquwowndueo 1y agoNone of those big conpanies would die by paying more tax in Germany; so much so, that I bet they’d prefer to call the bluff and leave the country entirely rather than pay more taxes. The move then becomes “your government is evil and is forcing us to deprive you of our awesome service/product, call your elected representative”.
- saubeidl 1y agoI believe American Big Tech greatly overestimates their popularity in Europe, especially in Germany. This move would backfire dramatically.
- attendant3446 1y agoHowever, WhatsApp is the default messaging app in Germany (second only to fax /s). Facebook is the default platform in Sweden. I think other EU countries also rely heavily on US big tech.
- likis 1y agoI think they would just pay the taxes but increase their prices so their bottom-line looks about the same. In the end it would be the consumers in Germany that paid the price.
- saubeidl 1y agoThat assumes that demand would stay the same with price increases.
- luckylion 1y agoIt's voluntary the same way you can voluntarily pay the amount of money the state decides you owe for income tax.
- saubeidl 1y agoExcept the state is your elected representation in a democracy. The market is just what moneyed interests want.