Airbnb Sues New York City to Block User-Data Bill Over Privacy
- Companies say city law violates hosts’ constitutional rights
- New enforcement law promises to cut Airbnb listings in half
Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg
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Home-rental providers Airbnb Inc. and HomeAway are suing New York City over a recently passed law that allows the collection of data on the websites’ hosts, claiming the ordinance violates users’ constitutional rights.
Airbnb is hoping to avoid millions in losses when the law, designed to police short-term home rentals, takes effect this winter. The New York City legislation, which passed with a 45-0 vote, would require Airbnb and similar sites to share the names and addresses of their hosts with the city’s Office of Special Enforcement. After Airbnb sued Friday morning, Expedia Inc.’s HomeAway filed a similar case, saying the new legislation violates privacy laws.