Users under 25 banned from Airbnb to help crackdown on party houses

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Airbnb is cracking down on unauthorized house parties by banning some users under 25 from renting entire homes in their area. 

The new rule, which applies only to those users who have fewer than three positive reviews, has been in place in Canada since earlier this year. 

The changes come after a shooting at a California Airbnb party left five people dead last year. 

Airbnb is implementing a new policy to help crack down on unauthorized house parties.

The home-sharing company announced in a blog post Thursday that it will start banning users under the age of 25 with fewer than three positive reviews from renting an entire house in their area. Those users will still be able to rent hotel rooms and private rooms, as well as any listings outside of their region. 

Airbnb also noted that younger guests who have no negative reviews and more than three positive ones will still be able to book without restrictions. 

“There will always be people who work to find ways around our trust and safety protections, and we know that people over the age of 24 are perfectly capable of booking a home for the wrong reasons, too,” Airbnb’s blog post said. “But based on the positive impact this policy has had on unauthorized parties booked by guests under 25, we believe this is the right action to continue to protect the safety of our community.”

The new rule follows a test of the program in Canada starting earlier this year, during which time Airbnb says it saw a decrease in the number of house parties. Airbnb banned party houses at the beginning of this year, prohibiting parties that guests promoted on social media and banning large events in dwellings like apartment buildings and condos. At the time, Airbnb said it would also add a dedicated phone hotline where neighbors could report concerns. 

The changes to Airbnb’s platform come after a mass shooting at an Airbnb house party last Halloween left five people dead. The party was advertised on Instagram as an “Airbnb Mansion Party,” though the host had explicitly banned parties at the home, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Source: Business Insider

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