When the ‘sharing economy’ doesn’t really play fair

A “sharing economy” can be as simple as a neighborhood with a shared lawnmower, but companies with big cash flow – think ride-sharing services like Lyft and Uber, as well as room rental places like Airbnb – are increasingly considered part of this model.

Oakland, California-based reporter Susie Cagle writes of her experience attending “Share,” a conference on the sharing economy sponsored by Airbnb, Lyft, and eBay. She left the conference thinking the word “sharing” is getting stretched completely out of shape.

In her article, “The Case Against Sharing: On access, scarcity, and trust,” Cagle recognizes the opportunity in these peer-to-peer economies, but thinks larger businesses like Airbnb and Lyft should be treated as just that: a business.

Click the media player above to hear reporter Susie Cagle in conversation with Marketplace Morning Report host David Brancaccio.