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Download Taxes As a Weapon Against File-Sharing

Posted by timothy on from the nothing-too-original-because-hey-this-is-hollywood dept.

An anonymous reader writes "An examination of a new "digital downloads" taxation law in Washington State suggests that files downloaded via file sharing programs may be covered by the law — meaning that you may be expected to pay taxes based on 'the value of the digital product ... determined by the retail selling price of a similar digital product.' Thus, if you were to download music or movies and not pay the taxes, would you be liable for tax evasion charges? How much do you want to bet the RIAA will push exactly that claim?"

9 of 451 comments (clear)

  1. Sounds good... by wirelessbuzzers · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll pay them 8.25% of what I paid for the song.

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    1. Re:Sounds good... by N3Roaster · · Score: 4, Funny

      Stolen property. If you steal property, you must report its fair market value in your income in the year you steal it unless in the same year, you return it to its rightful owner.

      I wonder... If you steal something and in the same year are caught by law enforcement who then confiscates the stolen something and does not return it to its rightful owner, do you still need to pay the tax on it? This would seem to be a good opportunity for interdepartmental information sharing for the purpose of reducing tax increases on honest, hard working Americans.

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      Remember RFC 873!
    2. Re:Sounds good... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      I think that if you sell stolen goods and make tons of money then you do have to pay taxes on it or you face tax evasion charges.

      Does that mean I can finally get a tax deduction for seeding?

    3. Re:Sounds good... by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well, true, but California is also about 5 propositions and an earthquake away from becoming a Max Mad-esque post-apocalyptic wasteland. Would be nice to see some responses from states filled with sane people.

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      Comment of the year
  2. Re:Impossible to enforce by GMFTatsujin · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Computer software is not a digital good."

    Hell, in most cases it's barely a digital okay. I consider myself lucky to find a digital I can live with it.

  3. Re:Taxes only? by rjstanford · · Score: 5, Funny

    So if I was to upload pirated movies, could I claim a tax deduction for their value as well?

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  4. Re:Impossible to enforce by gartogg · · Score: 4, Funny

    In economics, we would call windows a "bad."

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    I'm a concientious .sig objector.
  5. Re:Taxes only? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    *bludgeons you repeatedly* WERE, WERE. This is not Kentucky!

  6. Re:Taxes only? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    But I were in Kentucky, y'all insensitive clod.