'New economy' treatens the tax man, mom and pop.(Brief Article)

The internet and its battle cry, "Get Wired or Die," have created an upheaval that is steamrolling traditional business and policy structures. The raw power exhibited by the Net is forcing business and policymakers worldwide to take a new look at basic laws and global conventions.

In the United States, the Internet is challenging laws that have been the bedrock of our existence. What is free speech? What can be copyrighted or patented? Companies are facing equally fundamental questions as they struggle to define their core business and target customers on a global scale.

As answers to these questions begin to emerge, it is becoming clear that for every opportunity offered by the Internet, a new threat is raised. To draw a comparison, think back to that ancient time, to life before the …