Royalties and Taxes: Making Money on the Net

The Internet´s decentralized, distributed nature has often confounded those with vested interests in economic models the network appears to change or circumvent. One of those issues, the battle over royalty rates due musicians from Internet broadcasters, is at fever pitch. Its results could have profound ramifications for online entertainment´s economic structure and pace of technological innovation. A second issue¿how to tax online purchases equitably, if at all¿is once more being dissected in policymaking bodies around the globe. And once more, it´s revealing the complexities of trying to level the Internet-enabled economic playing field among taxing jurisdictions.