Opportunities and risks of the sharing economy

The basis of the sharing economy is following the principle of “not owning alone, but using together,” which allows for the creation of new business models based on digital platforms. In addition to direct effects, such as reducing carbon dioxide emissions from cars and increasing the efficiency of real estate use, negative consequences are also possible, for example, a decrease in the social security of people or the dictates of the owners of digital platforms. The future of the new economy as one of the branches of the platform economy in the third decade of the 21st century is always optimistic environmental and social expectations. The consumer benefits associated with the sharing economy are initially relatively clear. However, increased resource sharing also raises a number of social issues that need to be weighed against potential benefits. Risks for consumers arise, in particular, if new service providers circumvent legal regulations or social standards, resulting in consumers being disadvantaged. The article describes existing models of the sharing economy depending on groups of participants, emphasizes the importance of trust between participants and predicts development trends.