Author: Koen Frenken, Arnoud van Waes, Magda Smink & Rinie van Est
Date published: 14 September 2017
Research commissioned by: Rathenau Instituut
Why did we select this research?
This report guides the readers through the recent evolution of the sharing & gig economy and the two faces it shows:
- Generating employment, promoting entrepreneurship and encouraging innovation in existing sectors.
- Putting pressure on public values such as consumer protection, public order and privacy.
As a consequence, the report emphasizes the need for better protection of public interests in the sharing economy and that calls for policies that promote the positive effects and limit the negative effects. In doing so, the report makes a number of specific recommendations for (city) governments.
Key findings
First, the government should clarify the legal status of sharing and gig platforms. The government should also be able to establish a trusted third party to monitor a platform in a manner that guarantees the privacy of the participants. Finally, the government should take measures to ensure that reviews on platforms are reliable and portable.
Reference
Frenken, K., A. van Waes, M. Smink & R. van Est (2017). A fair share – Safeguarding public interests in the sharing and gig economy. The Hague, Rathenau Instituut.
