网红经济亟待告别“避税狂欢”

Core Viewpoint - The rapid development of the influencer economy has led to significant tax evasion issues, highlighting the conflict between the growth of new business models and the lagging tax regulatory framework [1][2]. Group 1: Tax Evasion Cases - The tax authorities reported that 1,818 individuals, including celebrities and influencers, were investigated for tax evasion, resulting in a total tax recovery of 1.523 billion yuan [1]. - Specific cases include: - Chen Zhen, a car reviewer from Beijing, was fined 2.47 million yuan for concealing income and false declarations [1]. - The "Xiaoying Couple" from Foshan was pursued for 17.82 million yuan in taxes and fined 5.97 million yuan for splitting income through 13 related companies [1]. - "Bai Gongzi" from Shanghai concealed commissions using relatives' accounts, leading to a tax recovery of 13.3 million yuan [1]. - "Xiamen Xiaocheng" falsely declared live streaming income, resulting in a tax recovery of 199,000 yuan [1]. Group 2: Challenges in Tax Regulation - The influencer income is characterized by fragmentation, with multiple revenue streams such as live streaming rewards, advertising shares, and product commissions, complicating tax tracking [2]. - Some Multi-Channel Network (MCN) organizations actively design tax evasion schemes, including registering shell companies and fabricating costs, creating a specialized tax evasion industry [2]. - The lack of integration between platform data and tax systems, along with unclear tax collection policies, exacerbates the risk of tax evasion [2]. Group 3: Societal Impact of Tax Evasion - Tax evasion by influencers undermines tax fairness, harming honest taxpayers and businesses [2]. - It erodes public trust in influencers, potentially leading to negative role models and affecting the values of younger generations [2]. Group 4: Solutions to Tax Evasion - A multi-dimensional approach is needed to address tax evasion, including clarifying income definitions, standardizing tax collection, and strengthening anti-tax evasion regulations [3]. - The establishment of a "data-driven tax" system is essential, utilizing big data to identify abnormal transactions and transitioning from traditional tax management to data-centric tax management [3]. - MCN organizations should create tax compliance positions and develop tax compliance guides for influencers, while influencers themselves need to enhance their tax awareness and view compliance costs as long-term investments [3].