[AirBNB, Uber, Craigslist sellers, ...] have "a steamroller approach to laws and regulations that protect workers and consumers" That begs the central question

[AirBNB, Uber, Craigslist sellers, ...] have "a steamroller approach to laws and regulations that protect workers and consumers" That begs the central question. It'd be a clearer case of preserving consumer and worker rights if cities weren't haranguing Uber over insurance while ignoring the comparatively paltry coverage offered by local taxi companies: http://blog.uber.com/uberXridesharinginsurance http://blog.uber.com/uberXridesharinginsurance Tesla's not part of the "sharing economy," but it's another disruptive model that chafes against legacy regulations. Most of us are sympathetic with Tesla's fight against the dealers because we see the regulations as utterly irrational, even if they were protecting against injustices 50 years ago. Or maybe we're unsympathetic to dealers because we've been screwed by one. Either way, we find it difficult or laughable to see franchises as a tool ensuring consumer protection and fair play. The sticking point, of course, is that you can't let every company be its own arbiter of what laws are reasonable and which are not.