IP: INTEL CHAIRMAN SAYS HE FAVORS SALES TAX ON INTERNET PURCHASES: Edupage, 7 June 2000

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> Intel Chairman Andrew Grove, speaking before a congressional
> committee yesterday, caused a stir in the Internet industry by
> declaring his support for Internet sales taxes and federal laws
> governing online privacy.  Grove's support of the two most
> controversial issues facing the Internet industry stand in marked
> contrast to the stance taken by the great majority of his peers.
> Grove stated that it is technically feasible to collect online
> taxes, the jumble of different tax jurisdictions notwithstanding.
> Priceline.com founder Jay Walker argued that online companies do
> collect some taxes and that the Internet is not a "tax-free
> zone," but Grove disagreed.  Grove told the committee that he
> believes Internet privacy laws are inevitable and would represent
> a better choice than the tangle of laws that could result if
> privacy legislation is left in the hands of the states.  Consumer
> data is private property that cannot be properly protected by
> industry self-regulation efforts, Grove indicated.
> (Wall Street Journal, 7 June 2000)