For those of you who don’t know what Airbnb is let me catch you up. Airbnb is a peer-to-peer marketplace and homestay network that enables people to list or rent short-term lodging in private residential property. Basically, it connects private people letting them rent properties directly to each other without involving a hotel or the government.
The Airbnb website describes it like this:
Founded in August of 2008 and based in San Francisco, California, Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world — online or from a mobile phone or tablet.
Whether an apartment for a night, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 34,000 cities and 191 countries. And with world-class customer service and a growing community of users, Airbnb is the easiest way for people to monetize their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions.
Sounds pretty cool, huh? Well it has taken off, boasting more than 2 million listings it has become a preferred method to find accommodations. So popular in fact, that the traditional hotel industry is beginning to cry foul since Airbnb is not forced to abide by all of the government regulations burdening the lodging industry. Aside from the fairness of the Airbnb business model, another naughtier problem has developed for Airbnb renters. Triple XXX porn absolutely LOVES Airbnb!
The pornography industry is using Airbnb to secure beautiful, private residences to film movies and sex parties! Homeowners are not aware that their home is being used for raunchy and elicit movies and simply believe they’ve rented their house out for a few days.
In Los Angeles, according to NBC4, an Airbnb homeowner found this upon returning to her home.
“An enema kit, bottle of lubricant and a business card are among the things Kristina Knapic said she discovered after renting her house out on the online rental service Airbnb.
Doing a bit of research, she learned the person who rented the house was Michael Lucas, an adult performer and producer, and owner of Lucas Entertainment.
A bit more digging revealed photos of her house — inside and out — posted on social media.
“They found a sex toy under one of the beds,” said John Thyne III, one of Knapic’s attorneys handling a lawsuit she’s now filed. “They noticed some enema kits in the bathroom [and] some what turned out to be, I believe, male steroids in the refrigerator.”
Apparently, the porno business is not limited to Los Angeles. Airbnb had a similar claim in New York. “It doesn’t shock me at all that this would happen,” said Ari Teman of Manhattan, who rented out his apartment in 2012 only to learn the renter was advertising a “XXX Freak Fest” there that night.
Most of the time the homeowner will never know this is going on, but when it is discovered, it tends to be a little disturbing. Airbnb has stated that commercial filming in a property is strictly prohibited without consent of the owner and that this is extremely rare.
Just how rare? No one knows. Washing the sheets might be step one after you rent out your cool New York apartment or seaside condo to that handsome looking young couple. Airbnb operates on an honor system and separate from much government oversite. Don’t expect them to help too much if you find your home or apartment is a little more famous than you thought.
For the husband secretly watching a little porn…finding that your own house was used as a film set could cause a dilemma. Do you tell your wife or not?
Image ID:520750120; Copyright: kurhan; shutterstock
