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Vietnam Launches New Social Media App As Facebook Alternative

PYMNTS

Vietnam is introducing a social network similar to Facebook after the Communist-ruled government asked domestic tech companies to create substitutions. The social media company has teamed up with Sony Music Entertainment to feature music content, and aims to reach three million users in 2019 and 20 million by January 2021.

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Big Tech Compliance Tracker: Tencent Says Big Tech Needs Greater Oversight; Group Seeks To Block Maryland Online Ad Tax

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Group Seeks to Block Maryland Online Advertising Tax. Marylanders for Tax Fairness is preparing for a battle in January over the state’s attempt to make a digital advertising tax, the Baltimore Sun reported. Maryland legislators ratified the tax earlier in 2020, but Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed the levy.

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US Treasury: Taxes On Digital Companies Are Discriminatory

PYMNTS

Treasury official said a French tax plan targeting American digital companies is discriminatory against American businesses. Treasury’s top international tax official, called the taxes “ill-conceived,” and said the better option was to go after tax reform internationally at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ).

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Facebook, Google Pressured In India Over Privacy, Taxes

PYMNTS

Govindacharya have asked lawmakers in India to call leaders of Google and Facebook to the country to ask them about data privacy and their compliance on tax laws, according to a report from Reuters. When asked if he would call on the leaders of other giant online companies, Thakur said he was thinking about it. We’re calling everyone.

Taxes 108
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New Tax Planned As eCommerce Soars In Thailand 

PYMNTS

Thailand hopes to annually collect 3 billion to 4 billion baht ($98 million to $131 million) by introducing a tax on tech businesses, Reuters reported on Monday (Aug. If approved by Parliament, Thailand will institute a value-added-tax starting next year on electronic businesses, leveraging the eCommerce boom in the country.

Taxes 139
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Big Tech Compliance Tracker: US Trade Rep Says Digital Taxes Discriminate Against US Firms; Facebook Removes ‘Likes’ From ‘Pages’

PYMNTS

US Trade Representative: India, Italy, Turkey Digital Taxes Discriminates Against US Firms. Trade Representative (USTR) recently released the results of Section 301 probes of digital services taxes (DSTs) that Turkey, Italy and India have adopted, finding that each tax “discriminates against U.S. Billion Of French Products.

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Big Tech Compliance Tracker: Facebook Backs Data Portability Law, Amazon Considers Registering Services As Separate Entities In India

PYMNTS

The social media company has indicated that the Access Act, a proposed data portability law, is a first move in the right direction. The news comes as a new Indian equalization measure came into existence in 2020 that puts a 2 percent tax on every digital transaction that foreign online shopping firms conduct.