Step 1) The Market
The Market is basically dead, which makes the game economically dead. To get new players on board, there needs to be a better market system to give them an opportunity while also letting the veteran players have a fair advantage. One way to do this would be to have a Split Market, which I've dubbed: The White Market and The Black Market.
*all numbers are hypothetical and may be changed
The White Market would be a tax free place to sell things, but the prices are regulated to avoid runaway inflation and also set low so that new players will want to buy/sell them. Only new members (set by a level or age cap) can buy from The White Market, but all players can sell to either market.
The Black Market would have no price limits, but will be taxed in relation to your level (or age). A formula like 0.02*[level]=[%tax] or 0.003*[age]=[%tax] might be used for buying and selling on The Black Market. The catch is that players can hack The Black Market. Just like hacking for IQ, hacking The Black Market will depend on IQ and hacking skill and energy. Sellers can hack the tax off an item they listed, or hack the price to rip off the seller by a percentage. Penalties for messing up could be a no effect (but loss in energy), to jail time, to paying a tax penalty, or even worst accidentally deleting the item(s)! Buyers can hack The Black Market by hacking the buying tax away, getting a "discount" off the item, or even a super rare chance to get extra ECs/Webs from it. Penalties can be the same like lose energy, jail, extra tax. Only one of these hacks can be done to an item listed, and they're done when the person buys it, so there isn't a second chance.
Let me know your ideas for this concept. Like it, hate it, or tear it down and come up with something better. I'll also try to post more ideas in this thread.