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CLARIN

Argentina Fighting Tax Evasion, One Geolocated Cow At A Time

Grazing Positioning System?
Grazing Positioning System?

BUENOS AIRES — Facing the risk of billions of dollars of debt claims, the Argentine government is looking to maximize its revenues — whichever way it can.

Argentina's tax agency AFIP has decided to start keeping an electronic tab of all the country's livestock beginning next year, tracking their movements and making sure their owners are paying all required taxes. This would not be the first time the government of President Cristina Kirchner seeks to squeeze the farming sector for revenues — it is, well, one of Argentina's main cash cows.

The idea concocted by the agency's chief Ricardo Echegaray is to implant a microchip or electronic tracking device in Argentina's 51.4 million livestock. Through a new system called SIFTA (in English, the Animal Traceability Fiscal System), it would be able to track every bovine's personal history: birth, death, transfer, industrial usage, sale and other taxable procedures needed to obtain a report of its entire history, according to a government document outlining the plan.

SIFTA will also allow AFIP to form enterprises to supply chips and other digital tracking devices. "A new business venture for Echegaray?" quipped Miguel Schiariti, head of the Meat Industry Chamber (CICCRA).

Schiariti said the new measure was "unnecessary" as the country's food safety agency SENASA already has a tracking system AFIP can use. Many cows were also already identified with Allflex tags.

The new digital tagging procedures are slated to begin in January.

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Society

Who Is Responsible For The Internet's Harm To Society?

A school in the US is suing social media giants for damage done to children's well-being. But fining tech giants is a feeble response to their attacks on society's welfare.

a young boy looking at a smartphone

Are parents, website owners or government oversight bodies for to blame for the damage done to children and young adults?

Mónica Graiewski

BUENOS AIRES - In January 2023, schools in Seattle in the United States took court action against the websites TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat, seeking damages for losses incurred from the psychological harm done to their pupils.

They maintained that behavioral anomalies such as anxiety, depression and eating disorders were impeding pupils' education and had forced schools to hire mental health experts, develop special educational plans and provide extra training for teachers.

Here in Argentina just days after that report, two teenagers died from taking part in the so-called "blackout challenge" on TikTok.

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