BR Video: Broadband tax unfair to elderly says public

by Jacquie Bowser, Brand Republic 30-Sep-09, 07:30

LONDON - The 50p-a-month broadband tax should not apply to everyone, according to members of the public interviewed in the latest BR video who were concerned that it would leave the elderly out of pocket as they generally do not use the web.

The controversial tax revealed last week by Stephen Timms, the minister now in charge of Digital Britain, will apply to everyone with a fixed-line telephone as part of an effort to raise up to £175m a year to fund high speed networks.

Members of the public interviewed in the latest BR Video felt that the proposed tax was unfair because elderly people hardly use the internet.

One man said: "Why should everyone pay for broadband? Look at old people -- they don't use the internet all the time and some of them don't even have internet, so what's the point?"

Another said: "I think it's absolutely ridiculous. I think that the previous leader of the Party that's introduced this was committed to bringing broadband to the people and now he wants to charge them for it."

Those questioned continued to express their concern about how "unfair" it would be, with one man saying: "As a person who does not have a computer, yes I do find it an imposition.

"I'd be paying for something I don't use. It would be like making a person pay road tax when they don't drive a vehicle".

When asked if they would prefer to allow internet service providers to track their online behaviour to serve them more relevant ads in an attempt to raise more money instead of paying a broadband tax, the interviewees all responded with a resounding "no".

One man said: "That's simply Big Brother", while another lady said: "I hate the ads on the internet. I hate them. I would rather pay the tax".

Another man said: "Quite honestly, I think there should be some privacy in what people want to do on the internet."