{"id":937772,"date":"2026-10-18T15:48:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T15:48:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/937772\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T15:48:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T15:48:14","slug":"how-ai-is-making-it-harder-to-book-on-airbnb-is-junk-food-bad-for-your-brain-cbcs-marketplace-cheat-sheet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/937772\/","title":{"rendered":"How AI is making it harder to book on Airbnb; Is junk food bad for your brain?: CBC&#8217;s Marketplace Cheat Sheet"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Miss something this week? Don&#8217;t panic. The CBC&#8217;s\u00a0Marketplace\u00a0rounds up the consumer and health news you need.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Want this in your inbox? Get the\u00a0Marketplace\u00a0<a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/subscriptions.cbc.ca\/listmanagement?cmp=ee_marketplace-watchdog_newsletter-subscribe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">newsletter every Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Behind the lens: How Marketplace uses hidden cameras<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Two people standing.\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792338490_342_default.jpg\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.7777777777777777\" data-cy=\"image-img\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption-oOSXz\">(CBC)<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">This week&#8217;s episode features an inside look at our hidden camera investigations, ranging from driving schools to real estate to social experiments.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Find out how we decide when to go undercover, why we do it and what it takes to uncover the truth \u2014 straight from some of the journalists who bring you the stories.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Watch the full episode anytime on <a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLeyJPHbRnGaZmzkCwy3-8ykUZm_8B9kKM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">YouTube<\/a> or <a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/gem.cbc.ca\/marketplace\/s54\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CBC Gem<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>AI photos are making it harder to know what you&#8217;re booking on Airbnb. Here&#8217;s what to look out for<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A composite photo that shows three headshots of a man and two women smiling.\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792338491_893_default.jpg\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.7777777777777777\" data-cy=\"image-img\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption-oOSXz\">When booking his trip to Montreal, Wells found extremely polished-looking photos of hosts appeared in numerous Airbnb listings, leading him to suspect they had been generated using AI. Short-term rentals in that city are subject to strict rules aimed in part at protecting the city&#8217;s housing supply. (Josh Wells\/Reddit)<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Josh Wells, a college student from Iowa, was excited to explore Montreal on his first trip outside the U.S. But as he scrolled through Airbnb listings in search of a place to stay, he began to notice something that didn&#8217;t seem quite right.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Several of the hosts renting out their properties had profile pictures that Wells suspected were generated by artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">&#8220;Your average person taking an iPhone photo, there&#8217;s obviously like a little bit of imperfections,&#8221; Wells told the CBC&#8217;s Cost of Living. &#8220;The AI photos, they just looked too perfect.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Still, Wells kept browsing. He was even close to booking one of the properties when a final look at the listing&#8217;s photos raised another red flag.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">He zoomed in on a piece of wall art depicting two halves of faces joined together. At the top, the artwork appeared to read &#8220;Picasso.&#8221; But in another photo of the same room, taken from a different angle, the artwork looked different.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">&#8220;The text was all warped and funky,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I&#8217;m just like, &#8216;Yeah, OK, this is AI.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">That was enough to put Wells off the listing \u2014 and ultimately using Airbnb for this trip. Unable to tell whether the photos showed a real place or an AI-generated version, he opted for an apartment-style hotel instead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">&#8220;The fake profile picture is one thing, but listings of the actual place that you&#8217;re staying at and spending thousands of dollars was an immediate no for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Wells isn&#8217;t the only traveller to question whether the photos found on Airbnb or similar short-term rental-style platforms accurately reflect reality.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">As AI makes it easier to alter photos, experts say travellers may find it increasingly difficult to know whether Airbnb-style listings accurately reflect reality, raising questions about consumer trust and protections in Canada.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">In a statement to CBC News, Airbnb said its rules require listings to be &#8220;accurately represented&#8221; and that the company may ask hosts to remove content that uses AI or other digital technology to &#8220;edit flaws, hide damage, add amenities or attributes that are not part of a listing, or otherwise materially misrepresent the listing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">The company further said it encourages guests to report misleading listings and that those who find a property that doesn&#8217;t match its description can contact its 24\/7 community support team. Under AirCover, Airbnb added, it may help guests find a similar place or provide a refund if the host can&#8217;t resolve the issue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\"><a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com\/s\/J4V1C7AwwFzvMp8mhqt3YsoTjHa?domain=newsletters.cbc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Read more<\/a> from the CBC\u2019s Catherine Zhu.  <\/p>\n<p>We know junk food isn&#8217;t healthy, but scientists are trying to determine if it&#8217;s also bad for our brains<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792338492_217_default.jpg\"  alt=\"\" class=\"thumbnail\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"video-item-title\">Ultra-processed foods could damage your brain: study<\/p>\n<p>New Canadian research suggests that eating too many ultra-processed foods, such as soda, chips and processed meats, could damage your brain. Researchers urge Canadians to cut down on such products.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Most people have food in their fridges and cupboards that they know isn&#8217;t the healthiest choice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">A box of chocolate chip cookies you grab for a bedtime snack. Instant noodles for when you can&#8217;t be bothered to make dinner. Or that bag of ketchup chips you grabbed on a late night stroll home from the bar.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">But it&#8217;s not just guilty pleasures. Nearly half of the calories Canadians consume \u2014 45.7 per cent on average, according to\u00a0 <a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com\/s\/09_-C92yyIzvn3lmh0CNBsq3-b3?domain=newsletters.cbc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Statistics Canada<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 comes in the form of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and includes everything from breakfast cereals to frozen meals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Over the years, research has shown that UPFs can negatively impact everything from our <a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com\/s\/shAeC09mmfkKvo72hrFP7s9jEK_?domain=newsletters.cbc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">weight<\/a> \u00a0to our <a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com\/s\/dCWzCjnkkIY2E5BjuYIA5sm8YEq?domain=newsletters.cbc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">cardiovascular health<\/a>, and could even be linked to\u00a0<a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com\/s\/dscDCkollfk7lWKnhySnpsGX8Ql?domain=newsletters.cbc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">some types of cancer.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">But a new study co-authored by two professors at Hamilton&#8217;s McMaster University,\u00a0<a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com\/s\/1P_vClpmmF1yGnVouDTMlszVSJp?domain=newsletters.cbc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">published Thursday by JAMA Network Open<\/a>, signals that our brains could also suffer as a result of consuming too many foods produced to be cheap and ready-to-eat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">The authors say that the people with the highest intake of UPFs in their diets may face an increased likelihood of experiencing changes to the brain that could serve as precursors for stroke, dementia and cognitive decline.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">People wouldn&#8217;t necessarily be aware of these potential harms, says study co-author Russell de Souza, an associate professor at McMaster&#8217;s Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">But he says the findings could encourage people to shift their eating habits now, before experiencing serious consequences later in life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\"><a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com\/s\/8BcuCmEnnCpZXJg5iEU89sREyig?domain=newsletters.cbc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Read more<\/a> from the CBC\u2019s Nick Logan.  <\/p>\n<p>What else is going on?<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\"><a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com\/s\/gboXCnzooTXzwOPGs1cQ8sJrY8z?domain=newsletters.cbc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">A fridge hack spoiled food in hundreds of French supermarkets. Cybersecurity experts say it&#8217;s a wake-up call<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Hackers may have targeted out-of-date firmware that remotely controls fridge temperatures  <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\"><a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com\/s\/UoMbCoO00CDM9qgXtrfqVspsffk?domain=newsletters.cbc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">What is your seafood eating? Investigation traces problems in global feed supply<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Fish meal and fish oil used in aquaculture linked to pollution, overfishing and labour abuses  <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\"><a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com\/s\/9AegCpzqqT9GkMVzIph2WsG_QWW?domain=newsletters.cbc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">How good is this year&#8217;s flu shot? Here&#8217;s what to know about flu season<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">It may seem like everyone is getting sick right now, but does an early flu season mean a rougher one?  <\/p>\n<p>Marketplace needs your help<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A graphic that says: &quot;Calling all fans!&quot;\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792338494_922_default.jpg\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.7777777777777777\" data-cy=\"image-img\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption-oOSXz\">(David Abrahams\/CBC)<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-b3GxD html-paragraph\">Have you ever wondered what personal data you might be giving away when you use apps on your phone? If you&#8217;re curious and willing to be on camera, drop us a line at <a class=\"link-_o8iA html-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/marketplace\/mailto:marketplace@cbc.ca\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">marketplace@cbc.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Miss something this week? Don&#8217;t panic. The CBC&#8217;s\u00a0Marketplace\u00a0rounds up the consumer and health news you need. Want this&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":937773,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[45,49,48],"class_list":["post-937772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-ca","tag-canada"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/937772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=937772"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/937772\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/937773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=937772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=937772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=937772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}