TV licenses for laptops, tablets and smartphones?

The South African state Broadcaster (SABC) is pretty much a failure regarding content, and management-wise.

However, they have recently proposed that anyone with a smartphone, tablet or laptop mast pay their SABC TV licence fees, even if they never use their services.

Can a state broadcaster do this?

Essentially it means a "license police" can kick your door down to search for any device with a screen!

Would this be acceptable in other countries, or is it already the case?

James Aguma, SABC CEO, stunned all who were listening by telling parliament on Wednesday that the SABC wants the Broadcasting Act changed to include more viewing devices - such as computers, cellphones and tablets for example.

www.iol.co.za...

a reply to: halfoldman
The BBC now demands a licence, but only IF the device is being used to access the BBC.
I believe even this is a new development. When I bought my first laptop, the salesman told me they were required to report my address to the licencing authorities, but I now think this was just a way of getting the details for their own marketing database.

P.S. The story in your source is a little ambiguous. It may be that the minister just wants the same thing that the BBC has got.

a reply to: DISRAELI

No, I don't think it's just for their own "marketing" database.
It's going on many databases.

Similarly we had to "Rica" our phones here recently.
Essentially only applicable to the middle class, or 4 million people with "fixed addresses".
Most South Africans live in informal settlements and have no fixed address (they were supposed to supply the closest school or church), they've never paid for electricity or water, and certainly don't pay TV licenses.
This seems more like another wealth tax, to keep the coffers of the corrupt politicians going.

But mark my words - if it happens here, it will happen everywhere.

It's like Monsanto seeds.

Even if you don't wanna use them, if they blow into your field you gotta pay regardless.

a reply to: halfoldman

In the US, in the parts where i live, kicking anyones door down would likely be met with gunfire and a pissed off dog or two.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: halfoldman

In the US, in the parts where i live, kicking anyones door down would likely be met with gunfire and a pissed off dog or two.

in durban they theyll throw meat with glass in it and sit back and wait for the dog to swallow them and then head right on in your house....
true

a reply to: TinySickTears

My dogs all stay inside. They're my family, and my lounging buddies. Although the big German Shepherd, Samby, is easily distracted with any food items and isn't likely to bite anything that isn't food. His fixation with food is a source of great comedy in our home.

But country folks tend to have dogs that don't like strangers as much of city folks dogs do. Its dangerous being on someones property in the country without permission.

Dont go giving them any ideas over here . They already got million ways of stealing our money here . They dont need any new ones .

Sad thing is the idiots here would pay it .

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Oh but the middle class is so compliant!
Well of course, they pay for their own state - or they used to.
Now any quality service is privatised, plus the tax for non-delivered services.

Yeah but I'm sure they won't kick in too many doors in informal settlements.
The electricity and signal theft is blatant.
Not that I blame those poor people for doing it.
But they won't be kicking down any doors in gangland.
You just gotta pay double.
It's a state-run protection racket.

a reply to: halfoldman

For the most part no one cares what is going on in the ghettos beyond the stuff that gets politicians elected and police forces funded. In the middle and upper class, as you point out, its easier to pay a fee and be done with it. When you are poor you sidestep as much as you can.

Even more, there isn't as much blood to squeeze from the turnips in the favella. Winston Smith pointed out that the ghettos would possibly be the last place for privacy. This is turning outt o be the opposite of the truth, as being poor means you trade anonymity for access. But in the ghettos you can still safely hide your activities, so there's that.

De Facto, yeah, but de Jure it could apply to anybody.

Walking a bit funny along the road?

Hey, where's your TV license for that smart-phone?
It just implies state-power where it shouldn't be.

We were promised all this stuff for free right?
And we gave up our time and efforts in turn, right?

This great democratization of knowledge and information.
Hey where's your state TV license?
Up against the wall ...

a reply to: halfoldman

In Germany all households must pay radio and TV tax even if you don't own a TV, radio, computer or smart phone. Even the disabled must pay.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: TinySickTears

My dogs all stay inside. They're my family, and my lounging buddies. Although the big German Shepherd, Samby, is easily distracted with any food items and isn't likely to bite anything that isn't food. His fixation with food is a source of great comedy in our home.

But country folks tend to have dogs that don't like strangers as much of city folks dogs do. Its dangerous being on someones property in the country without permission.

Always ensure your dog has a command that only you know, to allow them to eat. Saves anyone baiting them. takes time, better when a pup, but else they'll eat monday to sunday and vile people can end them easily.

I read recently someones poor pooch was baited with snacks filled with rat poison. Luckily he lived, and this was just because the moron didn't like dogs, not for any nefarious criminal intent to gain access to their house.

He was caught on cctv they had set up, hope the shame of publicity does him in, because the law only gave him a fine.

As to cops kicking in doors, well.. from what I have seen these last few years, it would end with a dead home owner, and 2 dead pets... and pats on the back to the boys in blue for a job well done in extreme danger.

:/ Yeah I'm a bit jaded..

originally posted by: DeathSlayer
a reply to: halfoldman

In Germany all households must pay radio and TV tax even if you don't own a TV, radio, computer or smart phone. Even the disabled must pay.

I'd simply not oblige them.. I've never understood a tv license. I've heard of the UK in the past, with vans driving around detecting tv's being used without a license.

If anyone told me I need to pay for a licence for my phone, laptop, pc, or anything, they'd get a thump on the nose and a flat screen over their head...

originally posted by: DeathSlayer
a reply to: halfoldman

In Germany all households must pay radio and TV tax even if you don't own a TV, radio, computer or smart phone. Even the disabled must pay.

Germany here, and that`s what i wanted to say!
It´s tax, called a fee, so no one has to call it tax. Everybody that maybe could receive the state propaganda tv channels, has to pay(18 Euro per month). Otherwise you go to jail, at the end.

Even if you don´t watch tv anymore(like the most people under 50, 60 years) or only news channel that are not state tv. And they wanna raise the fee again, as i read yesterday. They make billions of profit from that tax that isn´t called one. That behaviour reminds me a bit to Minority Report, only if you maybe could(watch tv)...

And really, it is a punishment to watch german tv, if they wouldn´t live from a tax that isn´t called one, they would extinct instantly. Because nobody wants to watch them and would pay for that crap!
But hey, this is germany. If someone opens a tollstation on a bridge and takes one euro from german citizens, to use that bridge those people used their whole life without paying to use it(except our taxes!), guess what happens?

The people pay, they don´t protest or even ask why they have to pay suddenly.
If you tell a german to jump of the cologne cathedral, he just will ask when and in which style he should jump!

I forgot, we have to pay several percent more for DVDs, CDs, USB sticks etc, everything you COULD MAYBE use to record music or tv shows.
Brave New World!

a reply to: halfoldman

Don't worry, there's no chance it would happen.
Businesses don't have the money to register each company pc, laptop, cellphone etc.

This would sink our economy, their just grasping at straws to get our cash cause they're going bankrupt...

New technology always boosts the market.
You don't think you're already obsolete?

But that's life ...
Na, na, na, na, na na.
Life is life.