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Japan Considers Taxing of WiFi

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the well-thats-just-not-very-nice dept.

DoktorTomoe writes "According to an article at Asia Pacific Media Network, Japan plans to introduce a fee for using WLan. The changes necessary for such taxation could be made as early as 2005. "

3 of 223 comments (clear)

  1. Taxing Wi-FI by wizatcomputer · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How can someone but a tax on using Wi-Fi? That would be like putting a tax on the cordless phones, or remote car locks. Stupid, and a cheep way to get some money for the government!

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  2. Re:Tax everything by Tackhead · · Score: 3, Insightful
    > Isn't this a bit moronic? Find things that make economies more efficient and help spread information and tax them? It's not like wireless costs the government anything to allow.

    You forget the attitude of the bureaucrat towards anything that "makes an economy more efficient" or "helps spread information". First, a flush of raw trembling fear. Then apply The Rules:

    If it doesn't move, tax it.
    If it moves, regulate it until it stops moving.
    Then tax it.

    Remember, anything not nailed down belongs to the government. Anything that can be pried loose by a legislative body is not nailed down.

  3. Re:Well... by lightknight · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's not that we do not have a monopoly on stupid ideas, it's that we export them (so other countries can enjoy the same warm feeling *cough* shaft *cough* of these ideas).

    I guess I wish that the (congressional) debate would move back from "what can we tax?" to "why do we tax?". These days it's less about "Life, Liberty, and Property" than a free-for-all "Everything must go, get your legislation for you and your special interest".

    It's kind of funny what the founding fathers thought of public service: they hated it. The did it, because it needed to be done, but they looked upon the government the same way Bill Gates looks at the DoJ. Now, politicians and beauracrats are treated with great fanfare, as though they are doing something truly great, as opposed to the truth: essentially, they got their position by winning a popularity contest.

    On a side note, does anyone remeber the article a while back, on some obscure law in Florida, whereby they could tax LANs?

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    I am John Hurt.