Can I collect Virtual Unemployment?

Ok ... I love to see where this is going. Someone in government begins to see the "dollar" volumn of commerce within virtual worlds ... and they soon think "Gosh ... how can *we* get a cut of that?"

I had really thought that taxation was something done for a purpose ... not just because it can be done. If the government is going to tax in virtual worlds, then are they going to begin to spend that money in virtual worlds? I can't even wait to learn about the newest virtual pork-barrel projects that are going to show up on the scene. Politicians are going to begin to cater to the special interests of "furries" or some other group within Second Life ... just to get their real-world votes?

If government really gets involved in Second Life, for example, then I wonder if they'll set up the various programs to assist the "needy" or "unemployed"? Hmmm ... maybe I'll be able to create a new character in Second Life and have them left homeless ... file to collect virtual-unemployment in Lindon dollars? Convert those on the various markets to real dollars? Wait ... I'll create 100 characters in Second Life and have them ALL file for unemployment! At that point will the government create "virtual immigration"? I won't be able to create a character or enter a virtual world without a proper passport that will limit me to one virtual character at a time?

It is amazing the times that we live in where the government is considering that they tax the creation of virtual wealth ... however this will begin to set some precedents on how virtual worlds are looked at by laws, and general definitions.

Congress to look into taxing virtual worlds. Blog: For at least the past couple of years, one of the biggest questions in virtual world circles has been whether or not the U.S.... [CNET News.com]

[tags: secondlife virtual virtualreality taxes taxation government]