airbnb

Airbnb Is Not the Big Enemy of Labor. Uber Is.

Hamilton Nolan · 04/19/16 10:00AM

“The sharing economy is here!” we are frequently advised. “We must devise a new labor deal for a new century!” we are warned. So why is making a deal between Airbnb and unions so fucking hard?

Better AirBnB Slogans

Hamilton Nolan · 07/30/15 12:31PM

AirBnB’s new advertising slogan is “Is Mankind?” Dumb as hell. Give me a break. There are many better slogans courtesy of the Gawker.com staff.

"XXX Freak Fest" Airbnb Host: "I am homeless"

Sam Biddle · 05/28/15 05:00PM

Ari Teman thought his life had taken a bad turn a year ago, when his apartment was unwittingly selected to host a “BBW panty raid” orgy. Now, Teman says his life has been fully ruined by Airbnb: “I’m on a blacklist and cannot get a legitimate lease in all of New York City.”

Here's a Depressing Airbnb: Sleep in Some Guy's Car for $85/Night

Sam Biddle · 01/27/15 02:00PM

Sleeping in the back of a car is usually the domain of recently evicted single dads and heroin addicts, but thanks to digital technology it's now bourgeois fare: this guy will let you live inside his Tesla. That's a great bargain if you hate yourself.

I Can't Wait to Work for Candy Crush Magazine

Max Read · 11/17/14 11:58AM

Airbnb, the popular hotel-tax dodging application and apartment-renting service that artists use to gouge tourists and finance their careers, has launched a print magazine, the Times reports. It is called Pineapple (?) and its purpose, it explains in a note to readers, is "to explore our fundamental values: sharing, community and belonging."

Man Unwittingly Rents Out Apartment on Airbnb For "XXX Freak Fest"

Jordan Sargent · 03/16/14 11:35AM

On Friday night, a comedian named Ari Teman rented out his Manhattan apartment on Airbnb to a man named David who said he was looking for a place for his family to stay while in New York for a wedding. What Teman accidentally discovered later was that his apartment was being prepared to host an orgy.

Users Revolt After Hippie Couchsurfing Site Goes Corporate

Adrian Chen · 09/02/11 11:31AM

CouchSurfing, the room-sharing service of choice for Burning Man attendees, free-spirited geeks and backpacking college students, just announced it's selling out and going corporate with $7.6 million in venture funding. Now users are in open revolt.

Ruinous Startup Airbnb Will Expand Its Failure Division

Ryan Tate · 09/01/11 04:14PM

Airbnb, a website for renting your apartment to to tourist meth heads, has announced plans for a big expansion. Which is funny, because less than a month ago Airbnb was profusely apologizing for failing to protect customers, return phone calls or even blog properly. It must be time to lean in to the failure.

Check Out the Repulsive Side of Silicon Valley

Ryan Tate · 08/22/11 04:35PM

Silicon Valley's loathsome side is ready for its closeup again, judging from the recent press. You know, the side that says it deserves a tech bubble even as it insists none is forming; the side that's greedy but pretends money doesn't matter; and the side that dresses up clubby insularity as a virtue.

Ashton Kutcher Is a Massive Whore

Ryan Tate · 08/17/11 05:26PM

Not only did Ashton Kutcher pose for the cover of Details' September issue, he also edited a special "online only" version, out today. Turns out Hollywood's prettiest boytoy is one compromised whore of a magazine editor, directing most of his recommendations and profiles to tech companies he's invested in, with nary a word of disclosure. It's shameless even by Condé Nast standards.

Airbnb Backer Rebuked by Victim's Sister

Ryan Tate · 08/04/11 06:41PM

After blogging about her terrible experience with Airbnb, San Franciscan "EJ" was hit with various insinuations from company supporters—that she's a liar, that she's crazy, or worse. Now her sister is lashing prominent startup adviser Paul Graham and blogger Robert Scoble for their treatment of EJ. Excerpts in today's Valleywag roundup, along with John Mayer's social media advice and the hack war in Korea.