As governments globally look for alternative tax-base, over the top (OTT) services have become a target. This week the Lebanon government announced a new daily social media tax for calls made via voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP).
The tax was to be paid by whoever uses mobile apps including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Apple’s FaceTime to make calls.
The social media tax will affect users will have to pay $0.20 daily charge on voice calls made through Facebook-owned WhatsApp and other similar apps was to be implemented in a bid to stabilize the country’s economy.
As soon as the Lebanese government introduced the social media tax. Users in the country took to the streets in demonstrations and also expressed their anger online. In one tweet a citizen ask WhatsApp to clarify to its government that it’s clearly violating the terms and conditions by making its users pay extra 6$ to use WhatsApp call!
According to BBC reports that these demonstrations are some of the biggest Lebanon has faced in years. Dozens were reported injured as protesters burned tires and security forces fired tear gas. It is reported that Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri may as well cancel Friday’s cabinet meeting, a website linked to his party said, as protesters gathered around the government’s headquarters to demonstrate against the social media tax.
Many other African and global countries like Uganda have imposed tax on the usage of these apps and platforms.
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