We have been talking for months about a drop in the price of storage units, especially SSDs. There’s a glut of memory chips for SSDs, compounded by low demand, and to supply them they’re lowering prices. But Europe soon we will pay more for SSDs and mechanical HDDs, because it has been upgraded digital canon.
If you don’t know what the digital canon is, it is a political measure created years ago to “combat” piracy. This canon establishes that different types of products and devices have an additional fee for piracy. When we talk about piracy, we are talking about illegal downloading of content such as series or films.
You’ll pay more for SSDs, laptops, computers, or smartphones
Currently, piracy has dropped dramatically thanks to content streaming platforms. Netflix, HBO or Spotify charge many users to watch series, movies or listen to music. Downloading these contents is somewhat tedious and not as “easy” as before.
This tax started apply in 2007, not without great controversy. The norm that established the canon was brought before the National Court, which decreed the nullity of the standard in 2011. After this legal setback, the rule was repealed. But, in 2017, the Royal Decree-Law 12/2017who established a new digital royalty.
The government is now preparing a revision of this tax which, most likely, will come into force soon. The list of affected products is extended, which it goes from 40 to a total of 104 products. As is logical, we will be the users who will pay for this cost increase. As is known, these are the products and the tax burden:
- Smartphone (regardless of price): $3.25
- Tablets: $3.75
- Connected watch: $2.50
- External SSD of 1TB or more: $6.45
- Computers or laptops: $5.33
- Printer (in general): $4
- Audio player: $3.15
- E-books: $3.15
- Scanners: $3.00
- microSD or USB memory cards: $0.24
- DVD/Blu-Ray: $0.21
This tax is intended for intellectual property management companies such as SGAE, CEDRO, etc. And it is also assumed that to subsidize films by directors who do not see films and whose films are seen by practically no one.
The presumption of innocence does not apply
This canon, supposedly, is for those who have downloaded illegal content and stored it. But, there is a problem, how do you know who is uploading content and storing it? As this cannot be known, as this would involve a violation of the user’s privacy, the “all equally” applies.
This rule assumes that we are all committing the illegal act of downloading copyrighted content. The presumption of innocence is therefore annulled in this specific case.
Note that you can request reimbursement of these costs, but only in very specific cases. Only if it is intended for a professional activity, you can request a refund of the amount paid. But, there are very few who actually ask for a return, because it takes a lot of time and it’s not easy at all. Many refuse to request it due to the time it takes, due to ignorance of the process or, due to ignorance that a refund can be requested.
A measure, on the other hand, which comes at a time when the equipment is more expensive than ever. The economy is not doing well either, with brutal inflation making food purchases, for many families, a dire situation. Adding a new charge or increasing the existing one for goods so needed today is regrettable to say the least.
