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FTC Staff Discuss a Tax on Electronics To Support the News Business

Posted by timothy on from the now-that's-what-I-call-top-down-management dept.

dptalia links to this piece describing a staff discussion draft from the Federal Trade Commission, writing "The FTC is concerned about the death of the 'news.' Specifically newspapers. Rather than look to how old media models can be adapted to the Internet, they instead suggest taxing consumer electronics to support a huge newspaper bailout. Additionally, they suggest making facts 'proprietary' and allowing news organizations to copyright them." Note, though, "The good news in all this is that the FTC's bureaucrats try hard to recommend little. They just discuss. And much of what the agency staff ponders are political impossibilities."

1 of 381 comments (clear)

  1. Start laughing now... by CTalkobt · · Score: 5, Interesting
    If this does pass I think it would be quickly repealed over the loud howling noises as people realize it passes.

    This would essentially put the government in charge of choosing which press agencies to sponser... Dangerous precedent...

    --
    There's a gorilla from Manilla whose a fella that stinks of vanilla and has salmonella.