https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20211224/10301448170/retailers-are-blaming-internet-retail-theft-surge-that-might-not-be-happening-media-is-helping-them-out.shtml

It's becoming quite a theme: basically every industry is blaming the internet for anything wrong happening in their industry and the legacy media is more than willing to help out. The latest is the supposed "surge" in shoplifting and retail crime. You've probably seen the stories, and maybe the shaky video coverage of the big smash and grab runs at some big San Francisco stores. This is being leveraged by those retailers in a variety of ways, including in a push to roll back policing reforms, but also to attack the internet. We've talked about the problems of the INFORM Act, which is being pushed heavily by large retailers. If you read that letter (sent to Congressional leaders by a bunch of big retailers), it uses those stories of theft to say we need to pass new regulations about internet sales:

As millions of Americans have undoubtedly seen on the news in recent weeks and months, retail

nation. While we constantly invest in people, policies, and innovative technology to deter theft, criminals

are capitalizing on the anonymity of the Internet and the failure of certain marketplaces to verify their

sellers. This trend has made retail businesses a target for increasing theft, hurt legitimate businesses who

are forced to compete against unscrupulous sellers, and has greatly increased consumer exposure to

unsafe and dangerous counterfeit products.