We are excited to launch the all-new eBay Inc. Main Street website today. Ecommerce transcends borders and has made the world flat again. We know from talking with small online retailers, policymakers and the media that you're interested in issues not only at home but abroad as well. That's why the new eBay Inc. Main Street brings together ecommerce public policy news from our government relations teams around the globe. Listen to a few words from John Donahoe, CEO of eBay Inc., about the role you can play in influencing lawmakers.
Rick Buck, Head of Privacy for eBay-owned GSI, played a significant role in last week's Data Privacy Day. Click here to see Buck's remarks given at the Intersection of Privacy & Security event hosted by the National Cyber Security Alliance in Washington, DC. Buck, a panelist focused on industry best practices, was joined by representatives from Facebook, AT&T and Master Card. He shared eBay's position on privacy and data security and highlighted the company's numerous successes in the field. "Privacy is about how you use information and security is how you protect it and regulate who has access to it," said Buck. "It means the same thing regardless of whether it's online commerce or whether it's filling orders or merchant data or consumer data. It's all about protecting it."
This week eBay is proud to be an official sponsor of Data Privacy Day, an international collaboration between government officials, privacy advocates, and private industry to promote privacy awareness and education across the United States, Canada, Council of Europe member countries, and a host of other countries. This annual awareness initiative focuses on educating consumers and businesses alike about the importance of protecting the privacy of personal information.
Jim "Griff" Griffith, eBay Inc.'s Senior Manager of Seller Development, served on a panel last month sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Office of Rural Development to highlight how broadband Internet has brought economic development opportunities to rural America. Griffith described how rural small businesses that use eBay are taking advantage of the Internet and contributing to the economic growth of their communities. Visit the USDA's website to view and hear the presentation in its entirety.
David Napper, Asset Protection Manager, eBay Asia Pacific, addresses members of the security community at "Security on the Move", a road show series of informational security events in Sydney, Australia. Napper shares information about the various scams and fraud cases that have affected eBay in the Asia Pacific region and what the company is doing to ensure security for users.
We oppose the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) because these bills are riddled with troubling provisions that lead to increased litigation, as well as cybersecurity and censorship risks.
From ecommerceBytes.com: "Consensus was in short supply here at the annual State of the Net conference, where representatives from eBay and Amazon squared off in a panel discussion concerning the contentious issue of online sales taxes. For eBay, the fight to defeat legislation that would empower states to require out-of-state Internet companies to collect sales taxes has vaulted to the top of the company's policy agenda, according to Becky Relic, head of North American government relations for all of eBay's properties, including PayPal. 'We are here to protect small businesses. We need to see all of them grow, all of them thrive,' Relic said, arguing that the tax collection requirement would disproportionately hurt the small sellers with shops on its marketplace."
Last month, eBay sellers participated in a number of meetings with Members of the European Parliament as part of the 'eBay Seller Fly-in' to Brussels. The fly-in was organised by eBay to help EU legislators understand the challenges faced by online sellers and the actions which can be taken to overcome those challenges. Sellers from the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Ireland met a number of MEPs from their own country.
Numerous news outlets reported last week on a deal between the State of Indiana and Internet retailer Amazon.com. Amazon, who has a significant physical presence in the state, will begin collecting Indiana’s 7 percent sales tax from customers in 2014. eBay Inc. released a statement in response to the news. Read more.
"Virtually all of Florida's largest business organizations are lobbying the Florida Legislature this session to make customers of online retailers pay a sales tax, same as Main Street's brick-and-mortar customers do. I know I've said it before, but here it is again: This is a spectacularly bad idea. Main Street keeps talking about 'leveling the playing field.' But what is there to level?" Visit The Sunshine State News to read the complete op-ed piece by writer Nancy Smith.
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