Airbnb, Uber, Eatwith, and other sharing economy platforms facilitate short-term rentals, transportation, meals, and even pet sharing. These “sharing economy” companies are part of what is also called “collaborative consumption” or “the peer-to-peer economy.” The companies in the...

A deflated air mattress rests in the corner of Airbnb's world headquarters. It symbolizes how Airbnb allows regular, local people to earn extra income by renting out space in their homes. Yet, this symbolism fails to represent what the company has become—a unicorn receiving much of its revenue...

Thousands of rooms, houses, yurts, and castles are reserved on Airbnb each day. Soon-to-be travelers, who are sometimes thousands of miles away from their future resting places, make their selections based on host provided descriptions, pictures, and former guest reviews. The latter are...