Can you share the source for this data? I find it exceptionally difficult to believe.
I do not condone people doing anything illegal. But you can maintain the lifestyle of a 'digital nomad' while not breaking any laws whatsoever. I definitely do not believe that 'close to a 100%' of people would risk their jobs, the wrath of the tax man and potential prison time by not abiding by the relevant legislature, especially given that there are usually many available options.
But it entirely depends on local laws. Canada allows you to work for non-Canadian company that has no business in Canada. Things, a bit more complicated when you sell goods and services in Canada, though.
Spain has new digital-nomad visas that allow working in company that aren't in EEA. Before that, like many others EEA countries, they didn't allow working on tourist visa.
Yes. As we've been learning for 20+ years from the music industry. If you restrict easy access to what people want or make unrealistic demands, then people just side step you. But if you make it easy and accessible people happily pay.
Obviously the details vary, but frequently the terms are as egregious as
1. Regardless of length of stay we now want a % of your annual earnings
2. The process involved takes orders of magnitude longer than your stay
3. The typical legal fees involved is orders of magnitude greater than what you'll even earn in the time period, meaning your best alterative to "No" is actually to take time off, paid or unpaid
4. You're literally bringing them an opportunity so it feels unjust to be barred. An opportunity to have tourist income -- something that many countries _pay_ to compete for.
There will be a massive upside for the first country to have a safe desirable location, with fantastic internet, and visa policies that make sense in the above rubric.