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The VideoLAN project, which is based in France, was contacted by a French tax authority due to a torrent site linking to the VLC Media Player:
A few hours ago, Next INpact reported that VideoLAN had received a letter from the [National Tax Investigation Branch of the French Ministry for the Economy and Finance], asking for detailed information on Torrent9.biz. The reason for the inquiry is that the site in question, also accessible via Torrent9.me, has a help section that explains how people can download torrents. This guide ends with a link to the VLC Media Player, as can be seen below [image].
While the Internet is full of links, the National Tax Investigation Branch suspected that VideoLAN was closely involved with the torrent site, asking the organization to hand over all sorts of documentation. Specifically, they requested "complete customer details," "bank details," "payment methods of the customer and date of last payment," and a copy of the "referencing contract" for the Torrent9.biz and Torrent9.me domains.
When confronted with the usual request by a reporter, the Ministry of Economy and Finance didn't give in. Instead, it reportedly stated that "if they have a link to your website, it's because you pay them: SEO is not free..," suggesting some kind of active cooperation. VideoLAN received quite a bit of support after the news broke as many people had trouble wrapping their head around the absurd situation. After a storm of protests, the authorities eventually decided to back down. In a response on Twitter, the ministry described the situation as an 'error of judgment,' adding that failures like this can always happen.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 01 2017, @12:40AM
Wee wee. No No. Once again the French people prove how fucking faggity they are (and stupid).
(Score: 4, Touché) by requerdanos on Wednesday February 01 2017, @12:46AM
Speaking as a United States of American, I am personally glad for the diversion. France isn't the only country in the news for silly or poorly thought out things of late.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Wednesday February 01 2017, @03:48AM
Thats just because we expect nothing better of the French.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 01 2017, @04:25AM
A 35-hour workweek with no reduction in pay sounds pretty good to me.
Meanwhile, productivity in the USA has tripled since 1968 but wages have stayed flat.
USA corporations are also expecting LONGER workweeks. [soylentnews.org]
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 01 2017, @11:38PM
Friendly reminder to anyone seeking to understand the world: the successful mobster's offspring is likely to end up with MBAs.
(Score: 3, Funny) by lx on Wednesday February 01 2017, @05:40AM
Shut up and eat your Freedom fries.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 01 2017, @09:31PM
Now, are you trying to be funny? You'd better be, cause if you're serious then you should really have a good long sitdown where you compare US and France.