Tax and Technology

S. 2801. Introduction and Right to Monetise Data

1.1. Outline

“Nothing is free. Everything has to be paid for. For every profit in one thing, payment in some other thing”.

Ted Hughes (The Tiger’s Bones)

In a world where our every online move is tracked and recorded, personal data has become the new gold rush. In the age of data, people are all like walking gold mines. But why do only the Multinational Entities (MNEs) profit from the treasures buried within our digital lives?

The concept of a “Right to Monetize” (RTM) user data has been gaining significant attention in recent years due to the increasing value of personal data and its potential for generating revenue. RTM allows users to monetise their data on digital platforms, giving them control over their data and the ability to profit from it. Currently, there are various enterprises which allow individuals to monetise their personal data. However, the emergence of RTM data could also present significant tax challenges for taxing such income in the hands of individual users.

This thesis presumes that individual users shall receive monetary compensation from enterprises for the use of their personal data. The research question driving the th...