ACLU Allowed Into Lawsuit Over North Carolina's Demands To Hand Over Amazon Purchase History
from the privacy-anyone? dept
Back in March, we noted that the state of North Carolina was demanding all sorts of info from Amazon about what everyone located in the state was purchasing. It was actually scary enough to find out that Amazon was already providing "the date and total price of each transaction, the city, county and ZIP code to which each item was shipped and Amazon's standard product code for each item." Even at that point, that information seems like it could lead to serious privacy violations, but North Carolina wanted more. It demanded that Amazon also hand over names and addresses for every purchase as well -- a clear and blatant privacy no-no. Amazon began fighting this and, in June, the ACLU asked to jump into the case as well, representing some Amazon customers who live in North Carolina, and who believed that their voices should be heard as well.Thankfully, those voices will be heard. Michael Scott points us to the news that the court has allowed the ACLU to intervene in the case, noting that the Amazon customers the ACLU represents have both 1st and 14th Amendment rights at stake, and that Amazon's interests in the case could diverge from its customers. This is a good first step -- but now hopefully the court correctly recognizes how far beyond reasonable North Carolina's request really is. Meanwhile, if you live in North Carolina, what is your government doing, to demand such personal information?
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Filed Under: north carolina, privacy, purchase data
Companies: aclu, amazon
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The government here is desparate to come up with revenue by any means necessary. I would bet more than anything that this is an attempt to collect taxes and fees on the items that NC residents buy from Amazon.
I've been sorta following this (but not as closely as I should) and I really hope Amazon don't pull a "F U, NC." and decide to stop selling to NC residents (hasn't Amazon already done that to some other state already?).
This isn't some scheme for Big Brother to look at our purchases (although I can understand the fear of that). Its just basic run of mill government money grubbing.
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Like many other states, NC is trying to make up big holes in the budget. Charlotte/Mecklenberg has already had to lay off 500+ teachers, cut the budget for the libraries by about half, and same for parks and recreation and other services.
However, instead of making intelligent decisions, they've decided to over reach and make a short sighted money grab without fully understanding the implications of the amount of data they are asking for.
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Over on the coast (I live not too far from the Outer Banks) there is this travelling Book Mobile that drove around about 4 counties allowing people who didn't have regular access to libraries (namely the elderly) to check out books. Yeah at the end of this month that service is being shut down after running for several decades.
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Sigh
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Nothing new for NC
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Re: Nothing new for NC
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Re: Nothing new for NC
It's not whether you are ordering a product via "mail order" but which state the product is meant for and will be used. NC has no right to collect sales tax for a product that will be used in another state regardless of how the customer came to obtain that product, either via phone order, mail order, internet order, or ordering in person and having it shipped.
The sales tax is supposed to be paid to the state in which the product will eventually be used. But that's another story.
CBMHB
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What are the people, disable or something?
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A gift
Just because an item was shipped to a NC address doesn't mean it was purchased in NC. In fact, if I did buy from Amazon (not one of the many, many sellers using their services) wouldn't I technically only need to pay tax to the state in which Amazon's business is established.
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Re: A gift
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NC & Privacy
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Personal Property Tax
Now it is just levied against big ticket items like Autos, Boats, RVs, etc.; and this is on top of usage fees for these items.
NC residents are also supposed to list all Internet purchases on their yearly tax return forms; so I'm sure this information is being used to target audits of those people that never list these purchases.
As a member of the ACLU I'm glad they are trying to expose this practice for the money grab that it is.
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There is a case to be made that collecting taxes on out-of-state purchases are against the Due Process and Commerce clauses of the Constitution. Whether it is called a sales tax or use tax doesn't disguise what it really does.
I'm not against taxes - in fact I think taxes should be generally higher and various loopholes closed. Taxes being levied unfairly is the problem, and a much higher percentage of the total tax burden paid by the poor and middle class comes as a result of these kinds of taxes.
Don't take my word for it. Here's a recent article on Minnesota's various tax burdens.
http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2010/08/06/20311/minnesotas_overall_tax_burden_is_increa singly_regressive
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Yes. I'm not questioning whether or not the taxes should be collected I'm displeased over how the NC gov. wants to find out who owes what.
Its the difference between the IRS trying to find out your real income by either looking up your SSN and tracing your assets or breaking into your house to appraise your personal belongings.
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OR.
Umm...I said IRS not IRA...
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mail orders were never taxed
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Open internet
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Sorry I digressed
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VAT
Oh yes, prices also MUST include the cost including sales tax, so no nasty surprises like I've had when visiting the US.
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VAT
Oh yes, prices also MUST include the cost including sales tax, so no nasty surprises like I've had when visiting the US.
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VAT
Oh yes, prices also MUST include the cost including sales tax, so no nasty surprises like I've had when visiting the US.
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VAT
Oh yes, prices also MUST include the cost including sales tax, so no nasty surprises like I've had when visiting the US.
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Damn
Mike, how about something to allow us to edit/delete posts?
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you goto the next state over and buy your car, cause you don't pay the state sales tax, and come home and register it, guess what the first thing is you owe?? that's right, the tax to this state, doesn't matter where you bought it
goto the local bookstore, buy a book, you pay the state tax,
goto the internet bookstore, buy the same book, you STILL owe the same state tax, just the internet store doesn't collect it and send it to the state, it becomes your job
It is not a money grab or finding NEW ways to get money from you, its an existing system
amazon and other online retailers should change the shopping cart to charge you the tax based on the state you select during check out
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Purpose of tax
Presumably the purpose/justification for collecting taxes on any particular purchase is to pay for the infrastructure built and maintained by the states for the commerce to take place. The brick and mortar Borders store on the corner uses a lot more infrastructure to stay in business than is part of its direct overhead. Borders' customers pay for that through taxes. What infrastructure is Amazon using in NC that isn't paid for through shipping costs?
NC is run by a bunch of inept liberals who believe that, if they look hard enough, there is always someone else who can pay for their handouts.
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