Cities worldwide join forces to write rulebook for Uber and Airbnb - CNET

Uber and Airbnb may be much loved by their customers, but the ride-hailing app and accommodation rental service have caused havoc the world over by challenging the status quo in pretty much every place they land.

Mayors from ten cities aounced an alliance on Tuesday to help them better regulate Uber, Airbnb and others of their ilk -- often known as sharing economy companies. By writing a rule book together, the mayors hope to make their position on companies setting up shop in their cities clearer and stronger, according a Bloomberg report.

New York and Paris are set to take the lead on the project, with representatives joining them from cities including Barcelona, Seoul, Athens and Toronto. The mayors met for the first time last month in Amsterdam, and Paris -- Airbnb's most popular destination -- is calling for a framework of guidelines to be published by October.

If and when the framework comes together it could make it easier for future sharing economy companies to plan their entry into multiple new markets and reduce the number of lawsuits they encounter along the way. But it could also benefit Uber and Airbnb customers.