Why it matters if Airbnb paid Beyoncé for that Facebook plug

Airbnb appears to have won a big fan: Beyoncé. Queen Bey even gave the vacation rental site a boost on Facebook the day after performing at the Super Bowl. "It was a Super weekend Airbnb," she wrote, tagging the tech company alongside a picture of her presumably enjoying what was reported to be $10,000 a night rental in Los Altos Hills (CA) -- a five bedroom contemporary villa complete with a pool, spa, outdoor fireplace, 60 tree orchard, and (!) chickens. But one big question remains: Was Beyoncé's enthusiasm bought and paid for?

Companies will shell out big bucks to get celebrities to hawk their products online -- and an endorsement from Bey to the more than 64 million fans who "Like" her on Facebook would be a bargain at almost any price. But neither Beyoncé's PR reps nor Airbnb responded to multiple inquiries asking if she was compensated for the post. And if she was paid for the mention, or got something like a free rental in exchange, it may put Beyoncé and Airbnb on the wrong side of the Federal Trade Commission.