Time to Find a Better Word than 'Sharing' for the New Economy

Abigail Zenner writes of the need to find new nomenclature, instead of "sharing," for transportation network companies like Uber, or sharing economy darlings like Airbnb.

1 minute read

July 21, 2014, 10:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell

According to Zenner, "many commentators have pointed out that the term 'sharing,' at least as we learned it as children, generally means letting people use something you have for free, not renting out something you have, and definitely not a company owning a bunch of things which it rents to people or paying someone to do work on your behalf."

Zenner summarizes the argument of Jason Pavluchuk, for instance, from the Association for Commuter Transportation, who argues that calling Uber and the like "rideshare" makes it "harder to advocate for other models that more aptly deserve the term, like carpool and vanpool services where people actually ride together."

FULL STORY: "Sharing" isn't a good term for services like Uber and Lyft. Is there a better one?

Monday, July 21, 2014 in Greater Greater Washington

Technology United States Sharing Economy Nomenclature Transportation Network Companies

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