Ireland
Latest
G20 leaders will discuss raising taxes for big tech firms next week
For years, European countries have been grappling with how to get big tech firms to pay more taxes. They've proposed interim taxes on revenues, suggested global minimum taxes and slapped companies with hefty fines. We may be getting closer to a solution. Next week, G20 finance ministers are expected to discuss a proposed tax overhaul that would target big multinational firms, including Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook.
Google to pay $1.1 billion in France following tax probe
After a four-year investigation, Google has agreed to pay almost €1 billion ($1.10 billion) to French authorities because it did not fully declare its tax activities in the country, as reported by Reuters. The payment covers a €500 million fine and additional taxes of €465 million.
Apple fires hundreds of contractors hired to listen to Siri recordings
In the wake of revelations that Apple has people listening in to some Siri requests, Apple has fired more than 300 contractors in Cork, Ireland. As The Guardian reports those contractors were hired as part of a "grading" program that reviewed audio recorded by Siri. News broke last month that those contractors often heard sensitive information -- like medical info, criminal activity and "sexual encounters." After temporarily suspending the program, Apple has reportedly decided to terminate it.
Amazon plans new solar and wind farms in Ireland and Virginia
Months after Amazon shareholders turned down a plea by employees to do more about climate change, the company announced two new renewable energy projects. Today, Amazon shared plans for a wind farm in Ireland and a solar farm in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. When completed sometime in 2020, these projects are expected to generate a combined 168,000 MWh of clean energy annually, helping Amazon reach its goal to power 100 percent of its operations with renewable power.
Netflix UK uploaded 'The Notebook' with an alternate ending
If you're a Netflix UK subscriber with a penchant for romantic movies, you probably got a rude surprise in recent days. Netflix has confirmed that it inadvertently uploaded an "alternate version" of The Notebook in the UK that makes a major change to the ending -- it's not just a slight edit. Suffice it to say this could leave you fuming if you've memorized the Nicholas Sparks adaptation by heart.
Germany is investigating the Google+ data exposure
Yesterday Google disclosed that it had inadvertently exposed Google+ users' personal data and that up to 500,000 accounts might have been affected. But the issue, which was discovered in March, was kept under wraps -- a decision Google said was made because there was no evidence that the data had been misused and no way to fully determine which users were affected. However, it appears that concerns over regulatory scrutiny and bad press may have played into that decision as well. Well now the company is being put under that magnifying glass it had been looking to avoid, as Germany's data protection commissioner has announced an investigation into the incident.
Apple pays off its $15.4 billion Irish tax bill
The EU is to drop its litigation against Apple over its cosy tax relationship with Ireland now that the iPhone-maker has paid back 13.2 billion Euros ($15.4 billion) in back taxes, plus interest of 1.2 billion Euros ($1.4 billion). That sum is going in an escrow holding account pending Dublin and Apple's appeal against the ruling.
After Math: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
This has been quite the "disruptive" week with TechCrunch's marquee event going on at the San Francisco Moscone Center, and not just for startups. InfoWars was disinvited from yet another social media platform, Walmart is drastically expanding its self-driving Tesla truck order, and the world's largest wind farm just opened for business.
Irish Silk Road figure extradited to the US
The US is continuing its quest to try Silk Road's foreign leaders. Irish resident Gary Davis (aka "Libertas") has been extradited to the US to face charges over his alleged involvement in the dark web outfit as an administrator. He faces charges of computer intrusion, money laundering and narcotics distribution. IF he's convicted, he could face life in prison.
Apple sends Ireland $1.76 billion in first payment for back taxes
Back in 2016, the European Commission ordered Apple to pay Ireland around 13 billion euros ($15.3 billion at current exchange rates) in back taxes. Apple had a special sweetheart deal with Ireland, which the commission ruled was illegal. Neither party was happy with this decision. Apple argued that the amount owed was miscalculated, while Ireland believed that the EU overstepped the bounds of its authority, but appeals so far have been unsuccessful. Now, according to Reuters, Apple has begun paying the owed back taxes.
Google bans all ads linked to Ireland's abortion referendum
Facebook has banned all foreign ads surrounding Ireland's referendum on abortion rights, but Google is taking things a step beyond. The company has announced that it's banning all ads related to the Eighth Amendment vote in the wake of its recent push to preserve election integrity. The "pause," as a spokesperson described it, includes YouTube ads and will last through the May 25th vote.
Facebook will block foreign ads on Ireland's abortion referendum
Facebook has been increasingly stringent about verifying the sources of political ads in its bid to prevent foreign interference, and that's evident in its approach to Ireland. The social network is now refusing any foreign ads about Ireland's Eighth Amendment referendum concerning abortion rights -- if the organization isn't based in the Emerald Isle, it won't get a say ahead of the May 25th vote. It's not a complete ban, as Facebook will allow Irish campaigns to use foreign service providers, but it should reduce the likelihood of conspicuous manipulation.
Apple to start paying Ireland the billions it owes in back taxes
Last year, the European Commission ruled that Apple's sweetheart tax deal with Ireland was illegal and that the company owed around $14.5 billion in back taxes. But Ireland was rather slow to start collecting that cash, which led the Commission to refer the Irish government to the European Court of Justice in October due to Ireland's non-compliance with the 2016 ruling. However, the Wall Street Journal reports today that the country will finally start collecting those billions of dollars owed by Apple and it may start doing so early next year.
Europe takes Ireland to court over Apple's $14.5 billion tax bill
The European Commission has announced that it will refer Ireland to the European Court of Justice for not collecting back taxes that it is owed by Apple. More than a year after a sweetheart deal between Ireland and the iPhone maker was ruled illegal, the country has dragged its feet in asking Tim Cook for the cash. Tired of waiting around, Commissioner Margrethe Vestager (pictured) has referred the nation to the continent's highest court, which can then impose fines for non-compliance.
France and Germany want Apple and Google to pay their taxes
France and Germany are looking to make major tech companies like Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon begin paying their fair share of taxes. The move comes as many European leaders have expressed frustration at how these companies focus their profits and costs in countries that tax them at the lowest rates. "Europe must learn to defend its economic interest much more firmly -- China does it, the U.S. does it," French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told Bloomberg. "You cannot take the benefit of doing business in France or in Europe without paying the taxes that other companies -- French or European companies -- are paying."
Ireland votes to stop investing public money in fossil fuels
Ireland just took a big step toward cutting coal and oil out of the picture. Its Parliament has passed a bill that stops the country from investing in fossil fuels as part of an €8 billion ($8.6 billion) government fund. The measure still has to clear a review before it becomes law, but it would make Ireland the first nation to completely eliminate public funding for fossil fuel sources. Even countries that have committed to ditching non-renewable energy, like Iceland, can't quite make that claim. The closest is Norway, which ditched some of its investments back in 2015.
Apple moving international iTunes arm to Ireland next month
In a note sent out to developers, Apple has confirmed it's moving its international iTunes business from Luxembourg to its European hub in Ireland effective February 5th. The company pre-empted the move last September, when it transferred all developer contracts and an estimated $9 billion in assets between the countries in preparation. And from next month, responsibility for Apple's iTunes arm serving over 100 countries (not including the US) -- and covering the iTunes, iBook and App Stores as well as Apple Music -- will formally transfer to its offices in Cork, Ireland.
Ireland says EU overstepped authority over Apple tax bill
Ireland says the European Union overstepped its authority and misinterpreted the country's laws when it ordered the country to claim 13 billion euros ($13.59 billion) in allegedly unpaid taxes from Apple. The company will also reportedly dispute this figure later this week. It's by far the highest tax bill chased by the EU, and is one of multiple cases it's pursuing against corporate tax deals granted by EU countries. The commission says that lower tax bills create illegal "state aid", giving firms advantages over rivals.
Apple formally challenges the EU's tax demands
Apple is about to fight the European Commission's claims that it must pay the €13 billion in back taxes ($13.6 billion) it allegedly owes from its deal with Ireland. The American firm tells Reuters that it's planning to appeal the ruling this week on the grounds that it not only can't abide by the decision, but that the figures don't make sense. To start, Apple argues that the EC falsely determined that two of its business units existed solely on paper, and thus didn't justify their untaxed profits. They were real, actively managed companies, the company claims. Also, Apple reportedly can't comply with the decision without making Ireland violate past tax laws that had different rules for residents and non-residents.
Mirai botnet targets Deutsche Telekom routers in global cyberattack
The German Office for Information Security confirmed on Tuesday that not only had nearly a million routers on the Deutsche Telekom (DT) network been recently attacked but that the assault was part of a larger campaign stretching across the world.
