© REUTERS/Vivek Prakash
A new computer system, which will monitor the social media activity of people for signs that they don't pay their taxes, goes online in India on Monday. Those who like to brag about their wealth may now think twice.
The system dubbed 'Project Insight' is coming into full force on April 1, but it may be no joke for those who get flagged as tax cheats by it. Commissioned by the nation's Income Tax Department a few years ago at a cost of US$150 million,
it's meant to centralize data from various sources available to the government and crunch it to identify individuals who live beyond their declared means.
The government
touts the system as a highly complicated tool, using machine learning and big data analysis
to create something called a "360-degree profile" of each taxpayer. Instagram pics designed to spark envy - strike that - share the joy of life and inspire followers are only part of what is meant to be analyzed.
The system is part of a wider government effort
to eradicate so-called 'black money' from the economy and boost tax collection. India is estimated to have over 1.35 billion people now, but less than 70 million taxpayers
filed tax returns last year. The figure includes both individuals and entities and is actually a big boost from 38 million in 2014, when the ongoing effort was launched.
Comment: Has the tide truly turned on the Russiagate hoaxers? Will Trump, Barr and others show the political will to reveal and press charges against those who have turned the US upside down for the past two years? Barring some act of God, the answer would seem to be yes - we can only hope.
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