The "Sharing Economy" Is the Problem
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/33720-the-sharing-economy-is-the-problem
It's unfortunate then that these companies and the
misnamed "sharing economy" are really just fronts for
millionaires and billionaires to opportunistically ride off the
backs of everyday people, while also exacerbating many economic
inequalities. Avi Asher-Schapiro explains the truth in Jacobin:
The premise is seductive in its simplicity: people have skills,
and customers want services. Silicon Valley plays matchmaker,
churning out apps that pair workers with work. Now, anyone can
rent out an apartment with AirBnB, become a cabbie through Uber,
or clean houses using Homejoy. But under the guise of
innovation and progress, companies are stripping away worker
protections, pushing down wages, and flouting government
regulations. At its core, the sharing economy is a scheme to
shift risk from companies to workers, discourage labor
organizing, and ensure that capitalists can reap huge profits
with low fixed costs.
- - -
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein ([email protected]): http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Founder:
- Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org
- PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info
Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info
Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Google+: http://google.com/+LaurenWeinstein
Twitter: http://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com
I have consulted to Google, but I am not currently doing so.
My opinions expressed here are mine alone.
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