An alternative economic and social model has risen from the wreckage of the credit crunch. Termed “collaborative consumption” by sharing innovator Rachel Botsman, this economy is based not on ownership but on the sharing of goods and services.
As these companies have taken off, so too has the hype. But what does the future hold for them and the sharing economy as a whole?
Consider a world in which a lender or employer could assess your risk profile or professionalism by analyzing your activity within an online community. Trust is valuable; it loosens purse strings. Unsurprisingly, there are startups like Trust Cloud and Connect.me working on measuring and monetizing these pools of trustworthiness.
by ALEX STEPHANY, GUEST BLOGGER on Los Angeles Times