Angela Lang / CNET
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Airbnb on Thursday introduced a worldwide party ban that bans parties and events of all kinds on its ads worldwide and occupy homes at 16 people. The move, Airbnb said, aims to address ongoing public health concerns around the coronavirus pandemic, comes just a day after the home rental company revealed it had submitted paperwork to go public.
The ban affects all future bookings and will be in effect until further notice, Airbnb said Thursday. The company said if have mandates for public health have placed restrictions on locations such as bars and clubs, it has been seen that some people take these types of meetings to homes that are rented on their platform.
“We think such behavior is irresponsible – we do not want that kind of business, and anyone who engages in it or allows that behavior does not belong on our platform,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Based on these developments, imposing a global ban on festivals and events is in the best interests of public health.”
Airbnb large “house parties” prohibited in 2019, but the company left it to hosts to decide if smaller gatherings such as birthdays and baby showers were appropriate for their home and neighborhood. When public health mandates were put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19, Airbnb said it had removed the ‘event-friendly’ search filter from its platform and required all users to abide by local laws.
Having a “simpler, global policy” will improve the majority of hosts who already ban parties in their homes, Airbnb said. The company added that hosts and guests who break their rules will have dire consequences, including a community ban and possible legal action.
