Business Innovators Frequently Flouting Law

New companies, risking the loss of huge chunks of market share if they hesitate, seem to be taking a page from the robber barons of the early 20^th century, and deciding it’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission, says an article in The Economist, noting that it sometimes “seems as if the best way to identify a hot new company is to look at the legal trouble it is in.” Uber, AirBnB and lending firm Prosper all have serious legal issues at play concerning their business models, mostly from more traditional firms who have had to adhere to regulation that the upstart firms skirt by using more modern platforms.