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David King, AirBnb's new director of "diversity and belonging," says AirBnb is aware of discrimination on their platform and they want to be a leader in address

David King, AirBnb's new director of "diversity and belonging," says AirBnb is aware of discrimination on their platform and they want to be a leader in addressing it. He says he's talking with Luca and others in finding potential solutions. One thing that could help is removing people's names and photos or making them less prominent. But this isn't something AirBnb will improve their platform. "The photos are on the platform for a reason," King said. "It really does help to aid in the trust between the guest and the host . . . You want to make sure that the guest who shows up at your door is the person you've been communicating with." http://www.npr.org/2016/04/26/475623339/-airbnbwhileblack-how-hidden-bias-shapes-the-sharing-economy http://www.npr.org/2016/04/26/475623339/-airbnbwhileblack-ho...

mst 10y ago
I wonder if the same effect comes up for white names coded as working class, as well? I seem to recall that for employment stuff, names that coded for "poor redneck white" did pretty much as badly as "poor urban black" in (at least some) studies.
cylinder 10y ago
Director of Diversity and Belonging. Wow.
- raimondious 10y ago
  I was impressed too!
kenjackson 10y ago
"It really does help to aid in the trust between the guest and the host . . . You want to make sure that the guest who shows up at your door is the person you've been communicating with." How does a photo do that? The photo just ensures that the person at your door matches the photo. But why is that important? That is, what info are you trying to glean from the photo?
- dwaltrip 10y ago
  It is evidence that the guest's online persona that the host has been communicating with is the same as the offline persona who shows up at host's door.
  - kenjackson 10y ago
    Right, it makes sure the photo matches. But why is that important/useful? Do people show up at the door who try to pretend they are the renter, but really aren't?
southphillyman 10y ago
Why must there be trust in the transaction, and how is trust built by verifying the identity of a person you still don't know? The guest's credit card information is on hold and AirBnb has insurance policies in place. Of course the host can always bring forth a civil suit in worst case scenarios. There are protections in place for the increased risk of personal property being compromised. Airbnb bookings are business transactions. I don't see why the host has to trust the guest anymore than a hotel/motel has to trust their guests.
- hyperion2010 10y ago
  Inviting someone into your home is not just a business transaction.
  - spriggan3 10y ago
    > Inviting someone into your home is not just a business transaction. You might be right, but renting a place is regulated in most Western countries. And I'm pretty sure racial discrimination is against the law in most of these countries too, as much as refusing a service based on the race of the "client".
  - southphillyman 10y ago
    In the majority of AirBnb bookings...it really is. I've used the service 10+ times in multiple cities, countries, and continents. A 10 minute overview of the area and how to read the Wifi password is about as personal as it's ever been. Let's not overplay this narrative that people are sharing a home with you as a means to rationalize discrimination.
greggman 10y ago
I call Bullshit. AirBnb doesn't verify the photos. I know at least one male landlord I rented from that is using a picture of a female model as his picture. AirBnb has don't nothing to fix this. AirBnB takes the position they are just the middle man (like craigslist) and any issues that come up or lies in the ads are purely a problem between landlord and renter. I've stayed at about 22 places of which 1/3 had lied in their ads. There's zero repercussion for the landlords from AirBnB. You're unlikely to cancel because you just arrived with luggage and have plans. Canceling once you arrive is really a huge PITA trying to find a new place within 24hr most likely at 2x to 4x the cost and waste a day not exploring your destination. After that your only recourse is a bad review but most likely the place has already been booked by several others so your review is guaranteed to be buried. Other renters also may not notice the lies. Examples: Claims it includes parking but doesn't. People that did't bring car won't care. Claims it's heated but it's not. People coming during a hot season won't care. Claims it's in one place (quiet) but it's actually a few blocks away (loud), AFAICT no one has noticed since it was highly rated. Claims it's a 1bd but it's actually a studio with a divider. People that don't need quiet (no frig noises) to sleep won't care. AirBnb needs to have some kind of way of punishing the lies. As it is they just claim "not our problem".

mst 10y ago

I wonder if the same effect comes up for white names coded as working class, as well? I seem to recall that for employment stuff, names that coded for "poor redneck white" did pretty much as badly as "poor urban black" in (at least some) studies.

cylinder 10y ago

Director of Diversity and Belonging. Wow.

raimondious 10y ago
I was impressed too!

kenjackson 10y ago

"It really does help to aid in the trust between the guest and the host . . . You want to make sure that the guest who shows up at your door is the person you've been communicating with." How does a photo do that? The photo just ensures that the person at your door matches the photo. But why is that important? That is, what info are you trying to glean from the photo?

dwaltrip 10y ago
It is evidence that the guest's online persona that the host has been communicating with is the same as the offline persona who shows up at host's door.
- kenjackson 10y ago
  Right, it makes sure the photo matches. But why is that important/useful? Do people show up at the door who try to pretend they are the renter, but really aren't?

southphillyman 10y ago

Why must there be trust in the transaction, and how is trust built by verifying the identity of a person you still don't know? The guest's credit card information is on hold and AirBnb has insurance policies in place. Of course the host can always bring forth a civil suit in worst case scenarios. There are protections in place for the increased risk of personal property being compromised. Airbnb bookings are business transactions. I don't see why the host has to trust the guest anymore than a hotel/motel has to trust their guests.

hyperion2010 10y ago
Inviting someone into your home is not just a business transaction.
- spriggan3 10y ago
  > Inviting someone into your home is not just a business transaction. You might be right, but renting a place is regulated in most Western countries. And I'm pretty sure racial discrimination is against the law in most of these countries too, as much as refusing a service based on the race of the "client".
- southphillyman 10y ago
  In the majority of AirBnb bookings...it really is. I've used the service 10+ times in multiple cities, countries, and continents. A 10 minute overview of the area and how to read the Wifi password is about as personal as it's ever been. Let's not overplay this narrative that people are sharing a home with you as a means to rationalize discrimination.

greggman 10y ago

I call Bullshit. AirBnb doesn't verify the photos. I know at least one male landlord I rented from that is using a picture of a female model as his picture. AirBnb has don't nothing to fix this. AirBnB takes the position they are just the middle man (like craigslist) and any issues that come up or lies in the ads are purely a problem between landlord and renter. I've stayed at about 22 places of which 1/3 had lied in their ads. There's zero repercussion for the landlords from AirBnB. You're unlikely to cancel because you just arrived with luggage and have plans. Canceling once you arrive is really a huge PITA trying to find a new place within 24hr most likely at 2x to 4x the cost and waste a day not exploring your destination. After that your only recourse is a bad review but most likely the place has already been booked by several others so your review is guaranteed to be buried. Other renters also may not notice the lies. Examples: Claims it includes parking but doesn't. People that did't bring car won't care. Claims it's heated but it's not. People coming during a hot season won't care. Claims it's in one place (quiet) but it's actually a few blocks away (loud), AFAICT no one has noticed since it was highly rated. Claims it's a 1bd but it's actually a studio with a divider. People that don't need quiet (no frig noises) to sleep won't care. AirBnb needs to have some kind of way of punishing the lies. As it is they just claim "not our problem".