Monthly Archives: March 2017

Internet Association Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Government Affairs, Gina Woodworth released the following statement on the launch of the Congressional Microbusiness Caucus:

“The internet industry applauds the leadership of Reps. Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10), Anna Eshoo (D-CA-18), Tim Ryan (R-OH-13), and Pat Tiberi (R-OH-12) for founding the Congressional Microbusiness Caucus. Internet platforms allow American small businesses to compete on a global scale in ways unimaginable just a few years ago, and this is especially true for microbusinesses on internet-based marketplaces. Microbusinesses using online marketplaces to create growth and jobs represent the very best of the American entrepreneurial spirit. The internet industry looks forward to working with the Caucus to advance policies that foster entrepreneurship, jobs, and growth in economy.”

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Taskrabbit CEO Stacy Brown-Philpot & University of California President Janey Napolitano talk with Christina Passariello of the Wall Street Journal during this Virtuous Circle fireside chat.

OLSEN: “Complicating New York’s tax code by forcing digital marketplace platforms to collect and remit sales tax for third party vendors makes it harder for innovative companies to grow in the Empire State.”

ALBANY, NY – According to a report in today’s New York Daily News, a new poll found 69 percent of New Yorkers oppose Governor Cuomo’s unfair and burdensome plan to force online marketplaces like eBay, Etsy and Amazon to collect sales taxes on any transaction involving buyers from New York.

“New Yorkers want legislators to focus on growing the internet economy,” said John Olsen, Internet Association Executive Director for the State of New York. “Complicating New York’s tax code by forcing digital marketplace platforms to collect and remit sales tax for third party vendors makes it harder for innovative companies to grow in the Empire State. It flies in the face of logic. Internet Association will continue to work with the legislature and governor on laws that help jobs and entrepreneurs flourish in New York

Last month, in testimony testified before the State Legislature on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal, Olsen argued that online marketplaces are an essential segment of the internet economy. Including marketplace providers in New York State Tax Law would set a new precedent for discriminatory tax collection by attempting to create parity between a marketplace and a vendor that rightly has the responsibility of sales tax collection in New York. If applied to a brick and mortar marketplace for example, this proposal would require large shopping centers to collect the sales tax for all purchases made in their tenant stores.

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Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Honest Company Founder & CEO Jessica Alba talk with Cecilia Kang during this Virtuous Circle fireside chat.

Julia Boorstin from CNBC talks with Barry Diller, Chairman & Senior Executive at IAC & Expedia about traditional video distribution, bundles, AI, short term rentals, and more during this Virtuous Circle Fireside Chat.

0:36 – Biggest challenges facing Internet Association member companies
4:04 – How Barry Diller entered the internet space
6:40 – Vimeo and plans
8:45 – The space to compete in video
10:44 – Traditional video players
12:38 – Rise of over the top and skinny bundles for traditional video distribution companies
16:26 – Amazon continuing to move into the content space
18:12 – Tech companies buying traditional media and traditional media consolidation
22:34 – Disney, cable bundles, and direct to consumer positioning
24:16 – Traditional media companies in five years
26:14 – Expedia, travel, and the new rental business
30:15 – Artificial intelligence importance at Expedia
34:00 – The vision of Tinder
39:20 – IAC and digital publishing
43:23 – 2016 election and politics
46:57 – Regulations