Chicago City Council introduced an ordinance establishing a Social Media Amusement Tax targeting platforms with more than 100,000 Chicago users. The tax would charge social media businesses $0.50 per Chicago consumer above the 100,000-user threshold, with each calendar month counting as a separate reporting period. The proposal defines social media businesses as for-profit entities that provide social media access and collect consumer data for commercial purposes. News organizations, search engines, internet service providers, and streaming services without user-generated content are excluded from the tax.

The bottom line: Revenue from this tax would fund a new Protecting Care Fund for mental and behavioral health operations. The ordinance faces legal challenges because it targets only online social media platforms while exempting non-digital businesses that also collect and sell consumer data, creating potential violations of the Internet Tax Freedom Act. If passed, the tax takes effect January 1, 2026.

Comcast filed a lawsuit challenging Washington's new digital advertising tax, arguing the law violates the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA). The tax requires sales tax collection on internet-based advertising services while exempting traditional media like newspapers, television, radio, billboards, and stadium naming rights. The law faces opposition from streaming giants Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock, and Disney. 

The bottom line: Businesses providing digital advertising services in Washington should prepare for the October 1, 2025 implementation date while monitoring this legal challenge. If Comcast wins, the state loses $475 million in projected tax revenue over four years. The Department of Revenue will release interim guidance within two weeks for taxpayers to follow during the legal proceedings.

Texas adopted new regulations confirming that marketplace seller fees and commissions are taxable as "data processing services." These regulations take effect October 1, 2025, and will only be enforced prospectively. The state will require marketplaces to collect sales tax on the commission fees they charge to sellers, adding an 8%+ tax burden on top of existing marketplace fees. 

The bottom line: Marketplace sellers based in Texas will see their net revenue decrease as platforms like Amazon must now charge sales tax on commission fees. Marketplaces face significant administrative challenges, including issuing separate invoices for fees and handling complex sourcing rules that treat goods and commissions differently. Tax engines will need major updates to comply with these split-transaction requirements.

Sri Lanka postponed the implementation of its 18% VAT on digital services provided by non-resident companies from October 1, 2025 to April 1, 2026. The delay comes after digital services providers requested additional time to address practical difficulties and prepare their compliance systems. 

The bottom line: Foreign digital service providers now have until April 1, 2026, to register for VAT in Sri Lanka and set up compliance systems. The 18% VAT will apply to B2C digital services such as cloud storage, online marketplaces, social media platforms, digital advertising, and subscription services.

Approximately 2,000 government workers in British Columbia – including tax administration staff – launched strike action on September 2, 2025. British Columbia businesses and out-of-province companies selling into the province are experiencing significant delays in PST registration processing and cannot reach tax officials by phone. Multiple government offices are being impacted with union officials warning the job action will escalate in coming days if wage negotiations remain stalled.

The bottom line: Both local businesses and remote sellers needing PST registrations, tax rulings, or compliance assistance should expect processing delay. Companies with upcoming filing deadlines should maintain detailed records of submission attempts.

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Taiwan's National Taxation Bureau is cracking down on individuals who sell goods through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube without proper tax registration. Under current law, sellers must register for business tax when monthly sales exceed NTD 80,000 for goods or NTD 40,000 for services. The Ministry of Finance has deployed AI technology to identify unregistered online sellers. 

The bottom line: Foreign businesses and individuals selling to Taiwan through e-commerce platforms or social media need to monitor their monthly sales thresholds closely and register if necessary. Taiwan offers a voluntary disclosure program that can eliminate penalties for sellers who proactively register and pay back taxes before being caught by the AI enforcement system.