Airbnb launches a program to help renters find an apartment in 25 US markets and then list a spare room or occasionally the whole apartment on the platform (Ivan Mehta/TechCrunch)

Paul Sawers / TechCrunch:
Barcelona-based Ukio, which runs a short-term apartment rental service, raised a €27M Series A led by Felix Capital, with €17M in equity and €10M in debt  —  Ukio, a short-term furnished apartment rental platform aimed at the “flexible workforce,” has raised €27 million ($28 million) in a Series A round of funding.

Maxwell Strachan / VICE:
Some guests and hosts say Airbnb permanently banned them after background checks by third-party company Inflection revealed minor offenses or old misdemeanors  —  Airbnb customers say they are being permanently banned after background checks reveal minor offenses like broken tail lights and old misdemeanors.

Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
Sources: the EU plans light-touch rules for Airbnb and other rental companies, including providing data on usership, in a bid to unify laws across the bloc  —  Airbnb (ABNB.O) and other short-term home rental companies will have to provide data on numbers using their services and how many nights …

Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
Un1feed launches the OG App, available on iOS and Android, offering an ad-free and suggestion-free Instagram feed, similar to Twitter lists  —  Instagram is currently a mess and users — including Kim Kardashian — are unhappy about it.  The company is trying to cram too many features like Reels …

Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
Google adds new kids-focused features to Google TV, including parent-controlled watchlists and AI-powered suggestions  —  Google is bringing a set of new kids-focused features such as parent-controlled watchlists and AI-powered suggestions to Google TV, the latest in a series of efforts …

Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
YouTube expands its tools to curtail toxic comments, sending users a notification when their comment is removed and temporarily banning them from commenting  —  Toxic and hateful comments on YouTube have been a constant headache for the company, creators and users.