Fear and loathing in China: China is embarking on what basically amounts to the most terrifying sounding thing ever: a plan to rate its citizens in a sort of sci-fi state-policed Facebook. According to reporting from Wired, two preliminary projects currently exist to test the options for such a plan and one of these is run by an affiliate company of Alibaba (which entered into a joint venture with Marriott International in August). In what amounts to a disturbing version of “loyalty,” those ranked higher on Alibaba’s platform can use those “points” towards car rental perks, online shopping, and yes, faster check-in at hotels. —Chloe Riley
Evolution of Airbnb. The home-sharing giant continues to move toward a global, full-service travel platform, launching complimentary businesses such as property management and even invests in real estate. According to analysis from CB Insights, as Airbnb moves toward a potential IPO its M&A and patent activity indicate attention to how the company can determine “trustworthiness” to help improve marketplace safety and negate fraud. —Jeff Weinstein
Goin’ very, very mobile. Travel commerce platform TravelPort’s global survey of travelers in the digital space has some interesting tidbits: 61% avoid hotels that charge for WiFi (seriously, is that still a thing?) and 75% leave reviews on review sites (possibly to complain that you’re still charging for WiFi). —Barbara Bohn
Insta-hotel. Is homestay accommodation the next reality TV craze? Let’s wait and see. Inspired by the boom in Airbnb and other homestay platforms, Australia’s new series “Instant Hotel” pits six sets of homeowners against one another in a bid to find the country’s best amateur hotel. And we all hold our breath for the spin-off series on regulation… —C.R.
Brand.com on the march? We’re pretty sure no hoteliers were shedding tears over news that OTA stocks were making double-digit downward slides. While there’s no direct line, maybe hotels’ direct-booking campaigns and room prices are having an impact. It’s probably premature to pop a cork, however: Airbnb and its kind might be able to take some credit for the slippage as well. —B.B.