Pursuits
Airbnb’s San Francisco Showdown May Set Rules on Gig Economy
- Tech companies join fight to champion online freedom of speech
- Cities blame short-term rentals for fueling housing crises
San Francisco, California.
Photographer: David Paul Morris/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Airbnb Inc. has a message for cities that try to enforce rules that crimp its couch-surfing style: See you in court.
The world’s fourth-most valuable startup is testing a legal strategy against its hometown that may be a template for sharing-economy firms to fend off regulation. Because it operates on the internet, Airbnb argues, it can’t be held responsible if users skirt local laws.