Judge Says Airbnb Can Keep Its Secrets

By
Ilya Marritz
WNYC News | May 13, 2014

Airbnb, the popular website for short term room rentals, has won a legal battle with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to keep its users' records confidential.

What Schneiderman was seeking was more than three years of business records from Airbnb hosts in New York State.

He believes most of the site’s rentals violate zoning laws, and may be skipping hotel taxes, too.

Judge Gerald Connolly found Schneiderman's suspicions to be well-founded. But the subpoena as written is too broad, he ruled, and therefore must be quashed.

Schneiderman said he will issue a new subpoena on Wednesday to address the judge's concerns.

In a statement, Airbnb called the decision "good news for New Yorkers who simply want to share their home and the city they love."

Read the decision below.

 

Airbnb, Inc., v. Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General of the State of New York

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Ilya Marritz

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