Monsieur Sarkozy, Are You Sure that Taxing the Internet is the Right Way to Preserve a Financial Incentive for Artists and Content Creators?
Most public policy experts agree that Internet access drives a country’s economic growth and productivity – so why would French President Nicolas Sarkozy want to impose a tax on the Internet? Well, Sarkozy is proposing to ban commercials from public television to halt the decline in the number of viewers – and the lost advertising revenue is to be made up for with a tax on “new means of communication.” According to Taylor Reynolds, an economist at the Organization for [...]
Online video sites profit from writers’ strike in the US
BBC News reveals that “[o]nline video sharing sites are reaping the benefits of the ongoing writers' strike in the US. According to net measurement firm Nielsen Online, some online video sites have doubled their audience since the strike began at the end of October. The news comes as US-based Pew Internet Project highlights a more long-term growth of video sharing sites. Its study finds that the audience to sites such as YouTube has nearly doubled in the last year.” According [...]
U.S. might complain to WTO over EU tariffs on electronic products
According to Reuters, US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said on Tuesday that “[t]he United States is considering action against the European Union with the World Trade Organization over tariffs that the EU imposes on certain electronics products. […] Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Schwab said the U.S. is talking to other countries who also feel that EU tariffs on products like set-top boxes are a violation of the Information Technology Agreement, which has been in [...]
Head of Consumer Electronics Association reminds CES attendees that foreign trade is vital for growth of IT industry and overall health of U.S. economy
The Los Angeles Times writes that “[w]hile the consumer electronics world is watching Las Vegas this week, many manufacturers are also keeping an eye on foreign markets where they can build and sell their latest gadgets. The head of the trade group behind the International Consumer Electronics Show used the stage to drive home a political message Monday: Foreign trade is key to the growth of the industry and the overall health of the U.S. economy. Gary Shapiro, president and [...]
Toshiba says HD DVD format not dead despite Warner Bros’ decision to exclusively back Blu-Ray
Reuters writes that “Toshiba Corp said on Sunday its HD DVD high-definition video format is not dead despite being dealt a big setback by Warner Bros studio's decision to exclusively back Sony Corp's rival Blu-ray technology. Akiyo Ozaka, president of Toshiba America Consumer Products, told a briefing at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that HD DVD ‘has not lost.’ […] Toshiba's remarks were the latest salvo in a long-running battle over which format will dominate the next generation [...]
Privacy advocates deeply concerned by FTC approving merger of biggest players in search and online advertising, respectively
Internetnews.com today asks if the approval of the Google DoubleClick merger means that “privacy is dead.” The publication points out that “[t]he Federal Trade Commission's decision to approve Google's acquisition of DoubleClick without conditions runs counter to the warnings of a host of privacy and consumer advocates, as well as members of Congress. […] There's no doubt that the type of tracking done by online advertisers in general poses privacy concerns. But the Google-DoubleClick merger creates a uniquely large single [...]