The Movement to Kill the Phrase ‘Sharing Economy’

Summary

“Sharing economy.” It’s a phrase we increasingly put in quotes or try to replace with another term here at KQED. But many news outlets still use it liberally, even though there is a growing movement of people who want to toss the phrase altogether.

The most recognized businesses in the so-called sharing economy are now companies like Uber, Airbnb and TaskRabbit. These corporations are built around apps where you pay for stuff — rides, places to stay, a handyman. This is far from the original idea of the sharing economy, says Neal Gorenflo.