That’s interesting, because digital commodities don’t quite fit the old concept of tariffs, which were created for physical commodities moving across borders—steel, autos, fabrics. But now so much trade is occurring online: streaming, cloud storage, video games, even software downloads.

Most nations have not imposed tariffs on these digital flows historically, in part because they are difficult to measure and monitor. But as digital trade continues to expand, governments are beginning to wonder: why tax physical imports, while digital imports enjoy a free ride? Some are piloting digital services taxes, taxing large technology companies that derive revenue in a country without enjoying physical presence there.

From the point of view of humans, it is important because it may alter how we pay for daily online utilities—such as our subscription to Netflix or the software we run our businesses on. For small companies, new taxes or tariffs on online services might make operating online stores or advertising overseas more expensive. To governments, however, it is perceived as a means of tapping into revenue from an increasingly online economy.

In short:

digital tariffs remain a gray area. The difficulty is striking the right balance in incorporating digital trade into modern policies without killing off innovation or driving things up for everyday users.