In a recent blog post written by Andy Steingruebl, Director of Ecosystem Security for PayPal, he highlighted the steps that PayPal has taken to help move the industry beyond passwords. Steingruebl explained that, last year, PayPal spearheaded the industry collaboration called the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) Alliance to help move folks beyond passwords. More than a year later, the Alliance has grown to 150 members – including companies like Google, Samsung, and Microsoft – and has released the final specifications which are available for any company to implement.

In a recent article, Paul Jones, senior director of Global Asset Protection for eBay, shared the five ways that retailers could protect their business this holiday season. At eBay, Jones leads efforts to develop programs and strategies to protect the eBay Inc. sites from criminality and has over 20 years of retail loss prevention experience.

Last week, the President’s Export Council met for the second time this year. In early 2013, President Obama appointed eBay Inc. CEO John Donahoe to the President’s Export Council, a prestigious advisory committee on international trade. Over the past year, Donahoe has advised the president on policies and programs that affect U.S. trade, including opportunities to expand cross border trade opportunities for businesses that use eBay Inc.

eBay Inc.’s Government Relations team would like to wish you and your family a very Happy Hanukkah! May you be surrounded by friends, family and the joy of the season.

Happy Hanukkah!

Last week, The News-Herald (AZ) published an editorial expressing opposition to the Marketplace Fairness Act. The writer explained that although Speaker of the House, John Boehner (R-OH), has promised to not move the legislation through the House this Congress, if the bill did pass, it would hurt taxpayers.

New Hampshire news outlet, The Keene Sentinel, recently published an editorial that argued the Marketplace Fairness Act would be unfair to New Hampshire because the state does not have a sales tax and would gain nothing by forcing its businesses to collect for other states.

Last week, the Michigan Senate passed legislation 21-16 that requires online retailers to charge Michigan's sales tax on Internet purchases from residents in the state. Under current law, online retailers only have to charge the tax if they have a physical presence in the state, like a storefront. However, the legislation changes current law by clarifying that physical presence in Michigan also includes things like warehouses, storage spaces, or contracting with installers or repair personnel.

On Thursday, December 11^th, the House of Representatives passed a government spending bill prior to departing for the holiday season. Included in the spending bill was a short term extension of the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA), a very important measure that prevents state and local governments from imposing new taxes on Internet access and prohibits any multiple or discriminatory taxes on e-commerce.