Elizabeth Warren takes on Airbnb, urging scrutiny of large-scale renters

Senator wants the federal government to investigate the extent to which the short-term lodging market actually consists of commercial rental firms

Senator Elizabeth Warren has urged the federal government to investigate Airbnb and other short-term rental companies in a move that experts say marks an unprecedented step in US lawmakers' formal scrutiny of the "sharing economy".

The progressive senator from Massachusetts, who has taken on a high-profile role in the presidential race, co-signed a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Wednesday, requesting that the agency "study and quantify" the extent to which the short-term lodging market consists of "persons or firms acting in a commercial manner by renting out entire residences or multiple residences simultaneously".