Taxes (Details 1)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Federal statutory rate	(34.00%)	(34.00%)	(34.00%)
Effect of:
State income taxes (net of federal tax benefit)	(2.70%)	(2.70%)	(2.10%)
Taxes on foreign income at rates that differ from U.S. statutory rate	17.30%	(8.80%)	(50.40%)
Change in valuation allowance on deferred tax assets	(34.50%)	41.10%	94.10%
Deemed dividend under Section 956 of the Internal Revenue Code	75.90%	60.90%	0.00%
Increase (decrease) in unrecognized tax benefits	1.60%	(25.70%)	(21.70%)
Incremental accrual for Innodata India transfer pricing	0.00%	19.60%	38.70%
Other	0.10%	4.80%	2.10%
Effective tax rate	23.70%	55.20%	26.70%