On The Money: Internet Police

[The Northerner]

Billion Dollar Plan Raises Privacy Concerns

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – With California deep in debt, a controversial plan has emerged that calls for private vendors to monitor what you buy on the Internet.

The Board of Equalization (BOE) says it could raise a billion dollars a year in previously uncollected use taxes, but critics call it haunting to hire “Internet Police”.

...

Bell is the owner of My Kid Sister Clothing Company, an Internet portal that allows her customers to find clothes for kids – and the whole family at a discount. She’s concerned by the BOE plan – a staff proposal to identify Internet buyers who use her site and others, to purchase things from out-of-state vendors.

“I think it’s like Big Brother. It’s definitely very chilling,” said Bell. The Internet entrepreneur told CBS 13, “I think our customers are just going to stop buying from us. We’re going to see a dramatic drop in sales.”

Read more: http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2011/05/03/on-the-money-internet-police/

[CBGLuthier]

1. How? That's what I want to know. How?

Will they just look at our bank or CC records? Eavesdrop on our every internet interaction? They can't force out of state companies to do anything. How will they actually do this? That is the real question.

Because it IS coming to every state sooner or later. They need the money.