Just read about the idea of making the TV license also apply to people who just watch Netflix or Disney etc.

Em-squared

Just read about the idea of making the TV license also apply to people who just watch Netflix or Disney etc. Still wouldn't affect me but surely that idea would largely go down like a bowl of cold sick. #UK #LicenseFee #BBC #TV #Television

Bob Thomson

@emsquared light blue touch paper… I can understand why folks get annoyed about the BBC but one look at a Netflix documentary vs a BBC one and I instantly think don’t do it. The quality of that sort of output is just miles better.

Em-squared

@bobthomson70 it is insideous how the media here have got most people hating the BBC whereas the streaming alternatives will never do that range of public service material. I have no skin in the game as I neither watch TV or use the streamers but do expect the BBC to become extinct in my lifetime just due to demographic change (why those non TV watching, dictatorship loving Gen Zedders *shakes fist*)

George Lund

@emsquared @bobthomson70 political will for a poll tax that jails quite a few poor people has lingered surprisingly long

Bob Thomson

@georgelund @emsquared interestingly it’s not enforceable in Scotland as I understand it. A bit like private parking fines. I think so anyway last I read.

Bob Thomson

@georgelund @emsquared not sure how many have been fined

Number of Scots convicted of dodging TV licence fee revealed

The penalty currently stands at £159 and the BBC has warned it is “highly likely” that culprits will be reported for prosecution.

Glasgow Times (www.glasgowtimes.co.uk)

Em-squared

@bobthomson70 @georgelund Is it not? Probably explains why I've never had a Crapita enforcer hassling me at the door. As I understand it these even if all you have is a phone they still like to assume you must be watching TV on it.

John_Loader

@emsquared can’t see how it could be enforced

Em-squared

@bobthomson70 @georgelund Two! Dear me. I think the doorstep tactics are quite aggressive from what i've read but they're nothing to do with the BBC. Just like the private parking contractors you mentioned.

Bob Thomson

@emsquared @georgelund to which the answer is of course, prove it

Em-squared

@John_Loader I guess there are chancers who watch telly & just don't pay (my brother was like that. Never paid council tax, poll tax, TV license. You name it, he didn't pay it).

Bob Thomson

@emsquared @georgelund even outside Scotland the parking thing seems to mainly rely on you just rolling over. I had one in Scotland about 2010 or so and ignored it and the letters got more and more threatening and then stopped. They have to prove in court some sort of loss and that it was very clearly signed etc. So not worth the hassle for them often.

Em-squared

@John_Loader Might to be easier to enforce in a streaming only world. You have an IP address. Could move to having to put a payment code in to stream anything.
OK there would be hacks but easier to enforce compared to aerial and satellite.

Em-squared

@bobthomson70 @georgelund A tad easier in a streaming environment perhaps. IP address. I do wonder how much it actually costs for even the few prosecutions.

Bob Thomson

@emsquared @georgelund doesn’t seem like it would be very good value for money no.

Em-squared

@bobthomson70 @georgelund I just inform TV licensing i don't need a license every year (used to be every 2 years). I presume i'm not hassled (many are with doorstep bullying and letters) because i'm not showing up buying new telly's etc (retailers have to inform on you i believe).

George Lund

@emsquared @bobthomson70 to be fair very few people end up in jail these days. But 52,000 people a year in E&W end up with a criminal conviction, per https://fullfact.org/news/liz-truss-tv-licence-prison/

Em-squared

@georgelund @bobthomson70 I can't see a more up to date info for Scotland.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202100213156/