Political Crossfire Forums

John Galt · Joined: 04 May 2004 Posts: 20599 Location: Minnesota

What the hell?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=9931
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/internet/10/17/secondlife.feature/
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=868c2f0a-86c6-43f1-813f-1ea0d4a7f9cc&rfp=dta

I originally found an article on the Motley Fool but I thought it was a joke. Now I am not so sure. Taxing fake money? Apparently Second Life can use real money transactions, and there is a black market in other games, but christ almighty what the hell is going on? The very idea...

Protostar · Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 11:38 am Post subject:

Galt I don't really know why you're suprised. Its the government: they'd tax the air you breathe if they could figure out a way to do so. I read about this on Slashdot, and I agree that it is ridiculous. But not suprising.

John Galt · Joined: 04 May 2004 Posts: 20599 Location: Minnesota

I'm suprised since I thought there had to be something to tax in order to tax it.

Protostar · Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:01 pm Post subject:

John Galt wrote: I'm suprised since I thought there had to be something to tax in order to tax it.

Well supposedly they are not taxing the virtual goods themselves but the real money made when you sell these goods (accounts, virtual currency, etc.) on sites like eBay.

John Galt · Joined: 04 May 2004 Posts: 20599 Location: Minnesota

Protostar wrote: John Galt wrote: I'm suprised since I thought there had to be something to tax in order to tax it.

Well supposedly they are not taxing the virtual goods themselves but the real money made when you sell these goods (accounts, virtual currency, etc.) on sites like eBay.

I got angry last time I bought a car. Why? because I bought it used in a private sale. I took it to get registered (which pisses me off anyway) and they TAXED me. WHAT?! It's ALREADY BEEN TAXED! How can you tax used goods.... christ. Same stuff -- if it's sold on Ebay it's already been taxed, or it's not taxable since it doen't exist. The avatars and items sold on ebay are owned by the company which owns the game (and such transactions are against their terms of service...) and have no value outside of their instance in a virtual world. Infuriating...

Gus · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 7253 Location: Tampa, FL

I think that, with a deficit like we have, the government's fingers will only get stickier.

FCTE · Joined: 11 Mar 2004 Posts: 18558 Location: Illinois

I think when they have ruined the internet and online gaming to the brink of destruction and only use it to spy on everyone then the hacking community will pull the plug on the whole damn thing and I'm all for that. :evil:

David · Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 11844 Location: Louisiana

You can sell a Castle on Ultima Online on E-bay for around $1000.00,yes one thousand dollars.Hows that for getting bucks for something that doesn't exist.

John Galt · Joined: 04 May 2004 Posts: 20599 Location: Minnesota

David wrote: You can sell a Castle on Ultima Online on E-bay for around $1000.00,yes one thousand dollars.Hows that for getting bucks for something that doesn't exist.

People play UO still? I used to have a house which I got before there was no land left to build... damn buildings everywhere... you know if you mark a rune on someone's doorstep you used to be able to port it or whatever and you'd end up in their home stealing their stuff.. i had a plate wearing-sword weilding-mage and it was fun, I'm not sure if you can still do that or what... (I played for a while after release). Holy crap, I just stopped playing I wonder if my toon still exists? Oh well I don't care, it's UO :)

The Grandmaster · Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 3:39 pm Post subject:

You have got to be f***ing kidding me.