[LINK] Uber?

[Glen Turner]

It's the standard Silicon Valley "disruption" model. Choose a industry 
with high margins, break the law to enter it, then chose up the loophole 
you entered through to keep future disruption out. Apple with music and 
handsets. YouTube with video. Google is trying it with books.

Particularly nice with Uber is the way it portrays the service as "ride 
sharing". I am a little more cynical, thinking that such as description is 
a neat way of side-stepping questions around minimum wages and if it is 
good public policy to make of all drivers (not just taxi owners) 
independent contractors.

For government it's a basic question of the rule of law.

For industry it's a warning that featherbedding leaves you open to a 
disruptive 'play' funded by billions of US venture capital finance looking 
for outlets which aren't in electronics (where margins are low).

-glen