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MrPlow writes in with a story submitted (via IRC) for SoyCow1984:

In a role-reversal, Airbnb is the one suing a city, and it's doing so to protect its hosts' privacy. In July, the New York City Council passed a regulation forcing short-term rental services to hand over hosts' names and addresses every month to help a civic crackdown on illegal listings. Airbnb's lawsuit against NYC alleges that the new law violates its users' constitutional rights.

Obviously, Airbnb has some skin in the game. When San Francisco implemented a similar regulation earlier this year, listings for the rental company fell by half. Airbnb sued the west coast city, and a settlement required the company to register its hosts before they're allowed to post listings, which is intended to reduce illegal housing situations. It's possible that Airbnb is aiming for a similar compromise here. Their legal filing (PDF) nevertheless attacks the NYC law's permissions and motivations, portraying it as "an extraordinary act of government overreach."

Source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/08/25/airbnb-sues-nyc-avoid-sharing-host-data/

Original Submission