Poll: Pornography Tax

[Flying-Emu]

Recently, in my home state of Washington, a tax on "adult" materials was proposed. At what I last heard, the tax was 15% higher than the standard state tax (which is roughly 8.9%).

The "adult" materials included all forms of "adult" entertainment. DVDs, VHSs, magazines, even erotic novels would have this "sin" tax tacked on. I'm not entirely sure if the tax applied to adult toys, however.

Is this right? Is it wrong? Is it acceptable, if the tax was decreased a tad?

 

[Gitsnik]

Wrong. Out here in Australia we have an alcohol tax - I don't like it (my prolific appetite for the hard liquor predefines this fact) but I can justify it because if it costs more people might not drink as much and it might help reduce drunken incidents on the street (I think this is BS but I can at least see the justification).

But a porno tax? WTF for?

Most of my stuff comes free from the net anyway

 

[Noamuth]

Porn is a necessary thing. A tax isn't a bad idea, they bloody well tax everything else, but maybe decrease it a little?

EDIT: After reading more posts, I'm thinking more and more that the tax is pretty much taking the piss out of people and it is a somewhat stupid idea. Cheers for the perspective, people~

 

[Cxizent]

I'm actually trying to quit porn, so it would be an incentive to me. I can image most people getting angry, though. Or just driving across the border to buy porn.

 

[Adam Jenson]

Your never takin me alive!...isss what someone who depended on that kinda stuff would say
>_>
<_<

 

[Flying-Emu]

Porn is a necessary thing. A tax isn't a bad idea, they bloody well tax everything else, but maybe decrease it a little?

Well, actually, the pornography still has the 8.6% standard sales tax. As it technically is not necessary to sustain human life.

(I know, they're ignorant, right?)

 

[Cxizent]

Wrong. Out here in Australia we have an alcohol tax - I don't like it (my prolific appetite for the hard liquor predefines this fact) but I can justify it because if it costs more people might not drink as much and it might help reduce drunken incidents on the street (I think this is BS but I can at least see the justification).

But a porno tax? WTF for?

Most of my stuff comes free from the net anyway

Haha, I remember that. They taxed pre-mixed drinks, their sales went down about 30% (not sure), and hard liqour sales went up about 40%. Awesome work lol.

 

[DragunovHUN]

Anyone who puts tax on porn... will achieve unimaginable wealth.

 

[Zer_]

How stupid. Taxing porn is just as bad as taxing cigarettes. I may not like cigarettes but it's not my place to punish those who do in any way.

 

[Noamuth]

Wrong. Out here in Australia we have an alcohol tax - I don't like it (my prolific appetite for the hard liquor predefines this fact) but I can justify it because if it costs more people might not drink as much and it might help reduce drunken incidents on the street (I think this is BS but I can at least see the justification).

But a porno tax? WTF for?

Most of my stuff comes free from the net anyway

Haha, I remember that. They taxed pre-mixed drinks, their sales went down about 30% (not sure), and hard liqour sales went up about 40%. Awesome work lol.

Argh. Why does the Government here insist on giving me a headache?!

.. Oh wait. That's their job.

 

[sorry user name taken.]

Your never takin me alive!...isss what someone who depended on that kinda stuff would say
>_>
<_<

>_>...riiighhtt ~said in dr evil voice~


any way...its not taxed over here yet then =D lol

but on a serious note we tax for cigs,booze,..so why not for porno lol all of those things are bad for you any way..


=/ just download it or buy it online like normal shy people XD!

 

[Gitsnik]

Wrong. Out here in Australia we have an alcohol tax - I don't like it (my prolific appetite for the hard liquor predefines this fact) but I can justify it because if it costs more people might not drink as much and it might help reduce drunken incidents on the street (I think this is BS but I can at least see the justification).

But a porno tax? WTF for?

Most of my stuff comes free from the net anyway

Haha, I remember that. They taxed pre-mixed drinks, their sales went down about 30% (not sure), and hard liqour sales went up about 40%. Awesome work lol.

Hard liquor has gone up too. Or maybe the guys at the store figured I wouldn't notice if they put it up at the same time as premixed whenwasit mid last year?

Anyway my point still stands, a grog tax I get, a porno tax makes no sense to me. Essential or not it's not like it is harming anyone (unless you get those people who see a nipple and scream like the world is ending...)

 

[Reaperman Wompa]

I understand a basic tax, but trying to tax so much is stupid. It should be treated as just another thing to be taxed, It may be "unethical" or whatever else idiots consider it but it doesn't hurt anyone (unless they want to be hurt...) so there's no reason to try and tax so much.

 

[pigmonkey]

last time i check there was a whole lot of free porn on the internet...

 

[Aardvark]

How are they meant to tax most porn sites, which are hosted in off-shore tax havens anyway?

Essentially, what they've done is revenue raising from the one sector of the community that people won't arc up over. Sure, there's probably an adult entertainment lobby who's raising hell about this, but the community won't be onside. The ones who won't be supporting the tax and calling for it to be raised will be sitting back, whistling nonchalantly.

 

[Radelaide]

Porn is a necessary thing. A tax isn't a bad idea, they bloody well tax everything else, but maybe decrease it a little?

Explain?

 

[Noamuth]

Porn is a necessary thing. A tax isn't a bad idea, they bloody well tax everything else, but maybe decrease it a little?

Explain?

Looking back at my post.. I don't really know myself. o.o

I guess that since the Government insists on taxing everything else that is supposedly 'bad', that this was bound to happen. But I don't think the tax should be an absurd amount.

I think I should have chosen 'Indifferent' instead. My brain is too broken at the moment. Ugh.

 

[Legion]

It's wrong for this reason: Porn, like books, movies and games can be easily accessed online for free for those who wish to get them illegally. If you tax people for buying pornography then they will just cease using adult shops and watch it online for free. This will result in slower business and less jobs for the adult shop industry (maybe not as huge an issue as other media outlets, but still it's not that unlikely).

The same would go for any form of media, it would just increase piracy and people would choose to get it free from the net instead (I mean those who don't do it already).

Alcohol and cigarettes, while I do not think they should be taxed it is much more logical for the government to do so, as it's not possible to download them... yet.

 

[Noamuth]

It's wrong for this reason: Porn, like books, movies and games can be easily accessed online for free for those who wish to get them illegally. If you tax people for buying pornography then they will just cease using adult shops and watch it online for free. This will result in slower business and less jobs for the adult shop industry (maybe not as huge an issue as other media outlets, but still it's not that unlikely).

The same would go for any form of media, it would just increase piracy and people would choose to get it free from the net instead (I mean those who don't do it already).

Alcohol and cigarettes, while I do not think they should be taxed it is much more logical for the government to do so, as it's not possible to download them... yet.

Very well put.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

It's wrong for this reason: Porn, like books, movies and games can be easily accessed online for free for those who wish to get them illegally. If you tax people for buying pornography then they will just cease using adult shops and watch it online for free. This will result in slower business and less jobs for the adult shop industry (maybe not as huge an issue as other media outlets, but still it's not that unlikely).

The same would go for any form of media, it would just increase piracy and people would choose to get it free from the net instead (I mean those who don't do it already).

Alcohol and cigarettes, while I do not think they should be taxed it is much more logical for the government to do so, as it's not possible to download them... yet.

Bingo. Not to mention it's a sleazy way to squeeze money from lots of people.

But really, can this tax ever work while the Internet exists? I mean... I've heard there's... Stuff... On there.