Politics, Government, and Legal Issues


There may once have been a time when activity on the web was far from the domain of government, politics, and legal enforcement, it is now quite common to hear politicians and candidates writing legislation to affect the business of webmasters. Posts are provided for informational and editorial purposes, and should not be used as a substitute for professional legal counsel!

Remember, 1099-Misc is NOT a W2!

April 15th, 2010 4 comments

Make sure to double check the numbers on your income forms: the difference between a W2 and a 1099-Misc can make a big difference in how much you owe.

Google bails on China – Here is what you’re supposed to report

March 28th, 2010 No comments

Google is officially taking its business out of China – and the Chinese government wants us to report about the situation according to this list of guidelines.

Liability of website owners on the rise

February 24th, 2010 2 comments

Governments around the world are cracking down and holding website owners and employees responsible for all kinds of unpopular and controversial content.

California legislature wants to tax affiliates

February 21st, 2010 No comments

California is in big financial trouble, and one of the brilliant ideas of their failing government is to begin imposing taxes on any company that employs affiliates in their state. Physical businesses have already been fleeing California, so will the digital ones follow suit now as well?

The Taxman is Watching Independent Contractors

February 19th, 2010 2 comments

Tax compliance teams are focusing specifically on independent contractors and other types of contingent labor – and that means that the tax returns from your websites could be under extra scrutiny in the next few years.

Australia vs Anonymous in Internet Censorship War

February 14th, 2010 No comments

Politicians in Australia intend to move ahead with their plans to filter and control the types of content available online, but not everyone is just sitting around and letting it happen.

Musicians vs Industry in UK Sharing Debate (and some free music too)

September 16th, 2009 No comments

The file sharing debate is heating up in the UK, with musicians lining up on both sides of the controversial plan to restrict internet access for those caught downloading and sharing unauthorized music files. In response, I’m giving away some of the songs my own band recorded “Back in the day.”

The anonymous internet is long gone

August 20th, 2009 1 comment

Think your blog is anonymous? Think again. The era of internet privacy is long over, and revealing an online identity may be a simple cost-benefit analysis.

Health Costs and the Competitive Edge in Business

August 16th, 2009 1 comment

Lost in all of the health care screaming is how important this issue truly is to the competitive ability of American businesses. The current system is not only unsustainable, but also a poor investment for employers and employees alike. Of course, the political types and certain investors have a lot to gain from a high cost, low return program.

Can Courts Protect Old Media from Web Technology?

July 3rd, 2009 No comments

Judges are active defenders of copyright laws – and even advocates of expanding the laws and making examples of offenders. How far can the government takes its crusade against the information revolution, and what part are judges and lawyers organizations playing in the conflict?

FTC to Regulate Blog Posts?

May 27th, 2009 No comments

The Federal Trade Commission is talking about blogs – specifically paid posts, free incentives from product producers, and how the government fits into protecting the consumer from their own lack of research.

Governments Imagine Easy Cash Online – Want Internet Money

April 30th, 2009 No comments

South Park’s take on internet fame, making money online, and wealth by legislation is not just hilarious, it has some valid points that web publishers and governments should take into consideration.

Australia Wants Webmasters to Play Big Brother

March 18th, 2009 1 comment

Webmasters in Australia could face big fines if they go against government policy in linking to banned sites. The scary part is, some sites are political in nature and critics are crying censorship!

Intellectual Property Law – Does it Help Writers and Bloggers?

February 20th, 2009 1 comment

Everyone who writes or publishes works to the internet has to deal with content theft, scraping, and plagiarism… But is modern American intellectual property law an effective defense or an unnecessary burden?

Google and Yahoo Cancel Advertising Deal Amid Government Fears

November 6th, 2008 No comments

While a lot of advertisers and publishers had been excited about a planned joint venture between Google and Yahoo, the expansion of the advertising network is indefinitely suspended as talks break down amid fears of government intervention

Politician Runs Out of Excuses – Blames Bloggers for Low Popularity

November 5th, 2008 No comments

Blogging is a great way for people with political opinions to reach their target audience and engage a discussion – so why are unpopular politicians blaming the technology instead of embracing it?