Latest Sharing Economy Headlines

All the headlines from our Sharing Economy Topic Page, ordered by recency.

On-Demand Firms Seek to Protect ‘New’ Economy, Wealth From ‘Frankenstein’

Feb 7 2020 // Uber Technologies Inc. wants to smother what the company calls California’s “Frankenstein” gig-worker protection law before state officials turn it loose.Uber and Postmates Inc. are scheduled Friday to...

Uber Wins Ruling That Drivers Are Not Employees in Brazil, Its 2d Biggest Market

Feb 6 2020 // A Brazilian higher court for labor ruled on Wednesday that there was no employment relationship between Uber and its drivers, siding with the ride-hailing company against a Sao Paulo driver.The federal judge in Brasilia...

Rhode Island Judge Says Jury Should Decide if Uber Can Be Liable for Crash

Jan 29 2020 // A jury should determine whether Uber ought to be held responsible for a passenger’s injuries, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled.A U.S. District Court judge concluded Jan. 16 that jurors should determine whether...

Oklahoma State Representative’s Bill Would Regulate Peer-to-Peer Car Rentals

Jan 27 2020 // A state representative in Oklahoma has filed a bill that would set regulatory standards for the nascent peer-to-peer rental car industry.Rep. Lonnie Sims (R-Jenks) says House Bill 3655 supports both the growth and the fair...

South Carolina Homeowner Claims in Suit Airbnb Guest Threw Party, Trashed Home

Jan 27 2020 // The owner of an island home off South Carolina’s coast is suing Airbnb, claiming it only reimbursed him for a “fraction” of the damages that a guest who threw a big party did to his home.In a federal...

Uber Goes to Washington. Autonomous Cars with Humans to Collect Data in D.C.

Jan 24 2020 // Uber Technologies Inc. will put self-driving vehicles on Washington, D.C. roads Friday with human drivers in control, the ride share company said on Thursday, as it seeks to collect data for future deployment of fully...

Uber in London Failed to Flag Assault Complaints, Monitor Drivers’ Insurance Status

Jan 24 2020 // London’s main transportation regulator has released a scathing document detailing why it moved to ban Uber Technologies Inc. from operating in the city. The regulator lists several safety concerns, including the...

Lyft Hopes New Expert Council Improves Safety for Riders, Drivers

Jan 23 2020 // Lyft Inc is putting together a council of experts to advise the ride-hailing company on its safety initiatives for riders and drivers, it said in a blog post on Tuesday.The Safety Advisory Council will include...

Airbnb Stresses Safety, Accountability in Governance Changes

Jan 21 2020 // Airbnb Inc. is laying the groundwork for a public market debut later this year, announcing a new corporate governance strategy that values safety, sustainability, diversity and accountability.The home-share startup has...

Southern California Uber Driver Accused of Raping Passenger

Jan 15 2020 // An Uber driver was arrested on suspicion of raping a woman who said she fell asleep in his car after a night of drinking and woke up to him assaulting her, authorities said.The suspect, Alonso Calle, had contacted police...

Oregon Woman Sues Uber for $1M, Alleging Sex Assault by Driver

Jan 10 2020 // A Hillsboro, Ore. woman is seeking more than $1 million from the ride-hailing company Uber, alleging she was sexually assaulted by one of the company’s drivers in 2018.The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the woman filed...

Uber Halts Upfront Ride Pricing in Response to New California Worker Law

Jan 9 2020 // Uber Technologies Inc. on Wednesday informed its California customers that it would switch to providing estimates as opposed to fixed prices for its rides in response to a new law that makes it harder to qualify its...

Look! Up in the Sky. Uber and Hyundai Unveil Air Taxi.

Jan 7 2020 // Uber and Hyundai Motor Co. announced they will develop Uber Air Taxis for a future aerial ride share network. The companies unveiled a new full-scale aircraft concept at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.In...

Farmers Expands Program, Now Insuring Uber Drivers in 14 States and D.C.

Jan 7 2020 // Farmers Insurance has expanded its relationship with Uber by providing commercial automobile insurance to its ridesharing drivers in 12 additional states and the District of Columbia.In addition to the District of...

Liberty Mutual to Insure Uber Drivers and Passengers in 7 States, Puerto Rico

Jan 2 2020 // Liberty Mutual Insurance will provide coverage for Uber drivers and passengers throughout New England, South Carolina and Puerto Rico as part of the company’s 2020 auto insurance programs, which became effective on...

Airbnb Insurance Leader Langone Becomes RIMS President for 2020

Jan 2 2020 // The risk management society, RIMS, announced that Laura Langone, head of Insurance Operations at Airbnb, Inc., will lead the association as president for the 2020 term.As president, Langone is succeeding Gloria Brosius,...

Uber, Postmates Sue to Overturn California Gig Worker Law as Unconstitutional

Dec 31 2019 // Uber Technologies Inc. and Postmates Inc. sued the state of California, alleging that a labor rights law set to go into effect this week is unconstitutional.The lawsuit filed Monday in Los Angeles federal court is a...

California ‘Gig’ Worker Law Affects Employers Inside and Outside the State

Dec 30 2019 // A California law that makes it harder for companies to treat workers as independent contractors takes effect next week, forcing small businesses in and outside the state to rethink their staffing.The law puts tough...

California Freelance Journalists Sue Over New State Law

Dec 19 2019 // Freelance writers and photographers on Tuesday filed the second legal challenge to a broad new California labor law that they say could put some independent journalists out of business.The law taking effect Jan. 1 aims to...

Uber Settles Sexual Harassment Claims in $4.4M Deal with EEOC

Dec 18 2019 // Under an agreement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), transportation firm Uber Technologies will establish a $4.4 million fund to compensate anyone who the EEOC determines experienced sexual...