Airbnb to announce new platform security measures

Airbnb is expected to announce new security measures after a shooting at a rental unit in Toronto left three people dead.

The company’s senior vice president of global policy and communications, Chris Lehane, will travel from San Francisco to Toronto to announce changes to its platform Wednesday afternoon.

Lehane will be joined by Dr. Najma Ahmed from the Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns.

The changes come after gunfire erupted Friday night inside a downtown condo unit that was being rented out via the platform.

Three men, whom police identified as a 21-year-old and a 20-year-old from Brampton, and a 19-year-old from Toronto, were killed and two others were hurt in the shooting.

Police say the shooters were among those killed and two guns were located at the scene.

In 2019, Airbnb implemented a ban on so-called “party houses” after five people were killed in California at a Halloween party at a rental that was listed on their site.

It prohibits parties in which organizers open up the home to anyone who wants to attend, often advertising on social media.

The press conference is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto.