Above: FOX 5/KUSI report from Dec. 3 on Escondido short-term rental changes. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Anticipating the annual New Year's Eve tradition of gathering with friends to count down to midnight, Airbnb is reactivating "anti-party technology" ahead of the holiday to prevent listings — including those in San Diego — from being used as a party pad. The measures, which the short-term rental website says help reduce the risk of unauthorized or disruptive get-togethers, aim to identify and block certain bookings using machine learning to flag characteristics typically linked with use for a party. Specifically, the crackdown targets entire home reservations, looking at things like the trip's length, how far the listing is from the guest's location and when the reservation is being made. USPS prepares for holiday shipping rush The system, Airbnb says, will block high-risk one, two- or three-night bookings for whole homes through New Year's Eve and require guests sign a mandatory anti-party attestation. Should an Airbnb user violate this agreement, they face suspension or removal from the platform. “While issues are rare, we want to do our part to help reduce the risk  of unauthorized and disruptive parties," Tara Bunch, global head of operations at Airbnb, said in a release. "Airbnb is committed to supporting hosts and the communities they live in, and we hope these defenses allow guests, hosts and neighbors to celebrate the holiday with added reassurance.” Escondido considers short-term rental ban near schools According to Airbnb, the "anti-party" machine learning technology has been deployed in the U.S. since 2020, following the implementation of a global ban on "disruptive parties." Over the years, the platform says this crackdown has led to a steady decrease in the number of unauthorized gatherings reported. Although New Year's Eve still remains a point of concern. Last year, upwards of 33,000 people nationwide were blocked from booking an entire home on the holiday using the technology, the company says. In California, 4,700 were denied — 350 of which were in San Diego.