Lease terms that prohibit or limit subtenancy (especially without the express consent of the owner) are nothing new, and certainly not a reaction to AirBnB.
I know they just introduced a new verification policy and are aiming to collect info on hosts and renters so they enforce some accountability and what not. Maybe if they also forced hosts to prove that listing their place on the site does not violate their lease and/or local regulations in order to actually list it. It seems all the backlash articles I've seen talk a lot about violating your lease. This can vary from building to building and is a total non-issue for non-rentals. I own my house. If I wanted to list it on AirBnB I do not believe there is any legal issue for me. In theory, there isn't anything illegal about AirBnB any more than there is anything illegal about BitTorrent. Both of which are tools that serve a very legitimate and legal purpose. Some people use them illegally (by current laws, regardless of your opinion if that use should be illegal).
Sting operations are always an interesting topic. In many countries, law enforcement people prefer these operations because they're easier to do and elicit better media coverage, at the expense of fighting real crime. And of course, as a result of media coverage people in management get promotions, and the public presumably stops questioning the effectiveness of tax dollars spent.