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posted by mrpg on Sunday June 03 2018, @10:15AM   Printer-friendly
from the let's-gossip dept.

Ugandu has reached rock bottom and yet has started to dig even deeper with the recent announcement that a daily fee of 200 shillings will be levied to use social media. This is not the first time a country has attempted to have ISPs charge a separate fee for social network access.

Today, Uganda's parliament passed a controversial "social media tax." It will consist of a daily fee of about 200 shillings (5 US cents) levied on anyone who uses social networking and messaging apps and platforms like Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter. According to Trading Economics, in 2016, Uganda had a per-capita income of $666.10, so this isn't an insubstantial tax.

President Yoweri Museveni was a vocal supporter of and advocate the bill. He believes that social media encourages "gossip," according to BBC News. The law will go into effect as of July 1st, but it's not clear how the government will monitor its citizens or collect the tax.

Also at the BBC


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  • (Score: 2) by janrinok on Sunday June 03 2018, @01:12PM (4 children)

    by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Sunday June 03 2018, @01:12PM (#688001) Journal

    My comment obviously passed way over your head - you young 'uns, get off my lawn. :)

    Hint: look at the emphasis.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 03 2018, @05:18PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 03 2018, @05:18PM (#688061)

    My comment obviously passed way over your head - you young 'uns, get off my lawn. :)

    Hint: look at the emphasis.

    I'm old enough to tell you to get off of my lawn, but I still didn't think your post was commendable - with or without your emphasis.

    • (Score: 2) by janrinok on Sunday June 03 2018, @05:45PM

      by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Sunday June 03 2018, @05:45PM (#688067) Journal

      You must be old, I am retired now and enjoying my pension!

  • (Score: 2) by HiThere on Sunday June 03 2018, @05:50PM (1 child)

    by HiThere (866) Subscriber Badge on Sunday June 03 2018, @05:50PM (#688069) Journal

    Sorry, but I *did* notice your emphasis. I went back and checked that I was remembering correctly. And I *still* find your post incomprehensible. The only idea I have is that it was referring to yesterday's news about You Tube canceling trending (which I only read the headline of).

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    • (Score: 2) by janrinok on Sunday June 03 2018, @06:28PM

      by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Sunday June 03 2018, @06:28PM (#688075) Journal

      Obviously it was a very poor joke on my part.

      You were complaining that it was saying that you were in Uganda, and I was making the point that at least you were trending there!. But having discussed it back and forth for several comments each, it probably wasn't funny to anyone else but myself! Have a good one!