Few people involved in the sharing economy know what taxes they’re supposed to pay, nor how to pay them. Because the rules are unclear, enforcement is almost nonexistent, and the feeling that “sharing” shouldn’t be taxed at all, very few people do pay them.
Technology & Media
Wall Street Falls in Love with Snapchat
The photo-sharing app that’s all the rage with teenagers has found a surprising new clientele: Wall Street bankers.
You Probably Agreed to NSA Snooping When You Accepted That Website’s Terms of Service
Maybe we shouldn’t be so shocked about PRISM, considering we grant companies like Facebook, Google and Apple incredible leverage to hand over our data to government agencies the moment we accept their terms of service agreements.
Amazon’s New Grocery Service: For $299, You Never Have to Leave the House Again
Would you pay $299 annually if it meant never having to go to the supermarket? Amazon.com is testing a service with that idea in mind. And that’s on top of Amazon’s other services that already eliminate the need to go to the mall.
Google: We’re No NSA Stooge and We’ll Prove It if the Feds Let Us
Tech giant Google has asked the U.S. Department of Justice for permission to publish the number of national-security information requests it receives from the government, including requests made under the Foreign Intelligence …
The Real Reason Telecoms Cooperate on National Security? Money
Verizon, the phone company whose disclosure of customer data to the U.S. federal government is at the center of the furor over cooperation by technology companies with top-secret national-security programs, has offered a precise, clear, but little-noticed public explanation of why it did what it did.
The Verizon explanation is not in the
…
Here’s Why Google Is Buying Waze, a Red-Hot Mobile Traffic App, for $1 Billion
Viewpoint: Obama’s ‘Patent Troll’ Reform: Why Everyone Should Care
In 2011, Apple and Google spent more money on patent litigation and defensive patent acquisitions than on research and development. That’s not a good sign for the U.S. economy; in fact, it’s a stark indication that our …
YouTube Throws a Curveball by Becoming a Sports Broadcaster
YouTube is quietly brokering deals with major sports leagues in hopes of establishing itself as the top sports destination online. The move could shake up the pay-TV world
Sharing Is Hard: Legal Trouble for Airbnb, RelayRides, FlightCar
As more consumers turn to services like peer-to-peer rental-car outfits rather than Hertz, local authorities are penalizing participants with fines and ordering the companies to cease operations. Is it still safe to share?
Apple Poised for Hiring Spree in Silicon Valley
(SAN FRANCISCO) — Apple expects to expand its Silicon Valley workforce by nearly 50 percent during the next three years, signaling the company’s faith in its ability to keep coming up with hit products like the iPhone and iPad.
The projections detailed in a report released Tuesday envision Apple hiring 7,400 more workers at its
…
Superman the Sellout? Man of Steel Has Over 100 Promotional Partners
Movie fans are surely excited by the soon-to-be-released Superman reboot, Man of Steel. But the film might be even more eagerly anticipated by its 100-plus corporate promotional partners, which are using the movie to help sell razors, cell phones, fast-food burgers, Twizzlers, a career in the armed forces and more.