• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Airbnb

New York Attorney General, Airbnb reach settlement over user records subpoena

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 21, 2014, 12:00 PM ET
From: AirBnB.com/S/New-York--NY

FORTUNE — Airbnb has reached a settlement with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman over the state’s latest subpoena of user records from the online room rental service.

Schneiderman’s deputy attorney general, Janet Sabel, and Airbnb deputy general counsel Darren Weingard issued a joint statement Wednesday morning announcing the fact that the two sides have come to terms: “Airbnb and the Office of the Attorney General have worked tirelessly over the past six months to come to an agreement that appropriately balances Attorney General Schneiderman’s commitment to protecting New York’s residents and tourists from illegal hotels with Airbnb’s concerns about the privacy of thousands of other hosts. The arrangement we have reached today for compliance with the OAG subpoena strikes this balance.”

Schneiderman had a previous attempt to gain access to Airbnb’s user information blocked by a state judge last week. The state’s top attorney filed a new subpoena last Wednesday, a day after the judge’s decision, in the hopes of uncovering the identities of the site’s users in New York who are renting out their apartments and homes.

MORE: New York attorney general issues new subpoena in Airbnb case

In New York, it is illegal for most residents of apartment buildings to rent out space in their unit for less than 30 days unless they are present during the rental period. Another hotly debated issue is whether or not the 15% occupancy tax usually paid by hotels should also apply to Airbnb hosts.

Under the terms of the agreement between Airbnb and the state, the website will begin providing Schneiderman’s office with anonymized user data within the next three weeks, a process expected to take less than 30 days. The anonymized data will not include users’ names, e-mail addresses, telephone numbers or any social media information. Social security and tax information will also be redacted while website user names and users’ unit or apartment numbers will be replaced with “unique identifiers.”

Over the following year, should the Attorney General’s Office decide to investigate or seek enforcement against any anonymous users based on the information Airbnb provides, the website will comply with the state’s wishes to uncover those users’ identities.

MORE: Behind Airbnb’s legal fights, grassroots activism

Airbnb will also start asking hosts listing new properties in New York over the next year to read a disclaimer (included in the terms of the agreement as “Exhibit A”) informing them of New York’s multiple dwelling law as well as various tax and rent regulations. At the bottom of the disclaimer, Airbnb recommends that users “consult a local lawyer or tax professional.”

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Lists Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Lists Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

A pile of shredded plastic in Vietnam
Healthfertility
Toxic chemicals are raising infertility in humans, fish, birds, and insects: ‘A whisper that is powerful enough to redirect a hurricane’
By Tristan BoveApril 27, 2026
9 minutes ago
A frontier plane with the New York-New York Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip in the background
EnergyAirline industry
As Spirit Airlines looks for a lifeline, Frontier and Avelo are asking the Trump administration for $2.5 billion to cover jet fuel costs
By Jacqueline MunisApril 27, 2026
14 minutes ago
Reed Hastings says AI will drive a return back to humanities: ‘I’d be doubling down on emotional skills’
AIColleges and Universities
Reed Hastings says AI will drive a return back to humanities: ‘I’d be doubling down on emotional skills’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezApril 27, 2026
43 minutes ago
Marc benioff
AIHiring
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says AI won’t kill entry-level jobs. He’s hiring 1,000 new grads to prove it
By Jake AngeloApril 27, 2026
2 hours ago
United Airlines CEO says a proposed merger would benefit travelers, but American still won’t return his calls
PoliticsAirline industry
United Airlines CEO says a proposed merger would benefit travelers, but American still won’t return his calls
By Matt Ott and The Associated PressApril 27, 2026
2 hours ago
Iran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz amid oil price surge, but Trump seems unlikely to accept
PoliticsOil
Iran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz amid oil price surge, but Trump seems unlikely to accept
By Samy Magdy, Jon Gambrell, Elena Becatoros and The Associated PressApril 27, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

The U.S. military may have already used up half of its most expensive missiles, and it could take up to 4 years to rebuild its stockpiles
Politics
The U.S. military may have already used up half of its most expensive missiles, and it could take up to 4 years to rebuild its stockpiles
By Sasha RogelbergApril 24, 2026
3 days ago
Elon Musk says saving for retirement is irrelevant because AI is going to create a world of abundance: 'It won't matter'
Future of Work
Elon Musk says saving for retirement is irrelevant because AI is going to create a world of abundance: 'It won't matter'
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezApril 26, 2026
24 hours ago
'You feel radicalized': A Meta AI exec watched agents beat her top workers. Now she's built a nonprofit to help Gen Z find jobs before they disappear
Future of Work
'You feel radicalized': A Meta AI exec watched agents beat her top workers. Now she's built a nonprofit to help Gen Z find jobs before they disappear
By Jake AngeloApril 26, 2026
1 day ago
More than 90,000 tech workers have been laid off this year. But here’s why companies like Microsoft are offering voluntary buyouts instead
Big Tech
More than 90,000 tech workers have been laid off this year. But here’s why companies like Microsoft are offering voluntary buyouts instead
By Jacqueline MunisApril 26, 2026
1 day ago
Baby boomers have now 'gobbled up' nearly one-third of America's wealth share, and they're leaving Gen Z and millennials behind
Investing
Baby boomers have now 'gobbled up' nearly one-third of America's wealth share, and they're leaving Gen Z and millennials behind
By Sasha RogelbergApril 26, 2026
24 hours ago
This CEO lived on canned soup and took just two days off for his daughter’s birth. Now he admits he lost sight of proper work-life balance
Success
This CEO lived on canned soup and took just two days off for his daughter’s birth. Now he admits he lost sight of proper work-life balance
By Preston ForeApril 25, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.