British Government Wants Music and Film Internet Tax

After outlining a plan to extend broadband Internet connections to every home, now the British government is looking to propose a £20 ($28) broadband tax, which will be used to indirectly pay the record and film industries for their failing business models.

Unlike the Isle of Man tax, there is no mention as to whether Internet users will be conferred any sort of ‘downloading rights’ in exchange for the tax. The proposal makes no exception for people who don’t download and only a broadband connection is needed to be eligible. Only one thing is missing, the creation of an extra tier of bureaucracy:

A new agency would be created, charged with regulating serial copyright-breakers and providing information to music and film companies, acting as a negotiator between Internet service providers (ISPs) and the industries. The Broadband Tax would fund this new agency, essentially making users pay to snoop out piracy. And not a penny of the tax ever goes to actual artists.

Is this kind of bureaucracy needed? Should people be forced to pay for the failing media industries?

Source: Times Online