6 ms·

I dont see how this is related to AirBnB. They may are a good case to study this phenomen but in reality it is the society that creates this fears. Ironically

by herbst 10y ago

I dont see how this is related to AirBnB. They may are a good case to study this phenomen but in reality it is the society that creates this fears. Ironically it isnt to far off ether. Where i live the majority of black youth have a bigger criminal history than their white peers. Sure this again fully depends on how the society treats them.

Kinnard 10y ago
Yes, AirBnB exists in a country with an entrenched legacy of discrimination. What they do about that on their platform is what matters here.
- herbst 10y ago
  Thats my point, what should they do? They created a community run platform, everything they would do now would just make the users angry. Also seriously, what should they do? They cant forbid people to decline users, nobody would use such a platform.
  - gohrt 10y ago
    > They cant forbid people to decline users, nobody would use such a platform. That's absurd. The USA is full of business running on platforms that are forbidden to discriminate against protected classes.
- drivingmenuts 10y ago
  What can they do about it, though? AirBnB doesn't own the property being rented. If it did, an anti-discrimination policy would be easier to enforce. AirBnB is essentially a jazzed-up listing service, not an actual hotelier, that is gouging out a buck while revealing the worst of our society.
return0 10y ago
Airbnb cant fix society, but they can easily enforce non-discrimination on their hosts.
- dublinben 10y ago
  >they can easily enforce non-discrimination on their hosts From reading this article, it sounds like they actually can't. Ultimately, they have to be willing to banish hosts who discriminate, which diminishes their platform.
- MichaelGG 10y ago
  They could try, if they want to sink their business. Telling people they no longer control who stays in their home does not seem like a smart move -- at least for actual home-sharers, not illegal hotel operators. And AirBnB doesn't want to really recognize the hotel operators, do they?
  - return0 10y ago
    I doubt they would sink their business. Airbnb is no longer a startup that is given free licence to go against established laws. Compliance at this stage will benefit their business.
    - MichaelGG 10y ago
      AirBnB isn't discriminating. Private home owners are choosing to share their homes. For anti discrimination laws to apply, AirBnB would have to admit that many of their "sharing" people are just illicit hotels skirting the law.
- herbst 10y ago
  But how and why? Will you seriously take people away the choice who they want to host? How will you enforce this? Someone who declines blacks 5 times gets banned?
  - return0 10y ago
    Then why have any anti-discrimination laws at all? Very easy to enforce: if airbnb investigates and finds you discriminate, you are out of the platform.
hyperbovine 10y ago
Discrimination at hotels and other public accommodations is unequivocally illegal in the US.
- herbst 10y ago
  A hotel is something different than a private home. Alone the insurance makes this a whole different situation.
- jasode 10y ago
  Those discrimination laws don't apply to hosts' private homes or bedrooms.[1] Paraphrase of law: "All persons shall be entitled ..., and accommodations of any place of public accommodation,..., without discrimination ... other than ... a building which contains not more than five rooms for rent ... which is actually occupied by the proprietor ... as his residence" If a homeowner has a spare bedroom across the hall from her 13-year-old son's room, and doesn't want to rent to transgender, black, or 65-year-old guests, it is legal for her to discriminate on those attributes. On the other hand, if the AirBnb host is renting out a non-owner-occupied beach house, the discrimination laws would apply. [1]https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/2000a https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/2000a:
  - return0 10y ago
    > Those discrimination laws don't apply to hosts' private homes or bedrooms Well, they should, and if airbnb is not willing to comply, the lawmaker should force them to.
    - Cshelton 10y ago
      Here in America, we have the 4th Amendment. Don't like it? Leave. Airbnb is not responsible for this, nor is doing anything wrong. If I do not want somebody in my private home, they will not step a foot in my private home. In fact, if they do, I have the right to take defensive action, including the use of lethal force when necessary. Don't like it? Leave.
Cthulhu_ 10y ago
The part about a host not allowing a trans person isn't related to AirBnB either, it's one host's choice and there's nothing wrong with rejecting a renter for any reason. I've slept in hostels, they discriminate on age (nobody over 35 was allowed). There's probably plenty of hosts that won't accept men, or couples, or underage people, or people of a different faith.
- duiker101 10y ago
  Off topic but, do you know why no one over 35 would not be allowed? Just because it was a youth hostel?
- herbst 10y ago
  That was the worst about the article anyway, its a mum with a 13yo boy in puperty, it should be understandable that she does not want "special situations" IN HER HOME. That is nobodies business.

by herbst 10y ago

Kinnard 10y ago

Yes, AirBnB exists in a country with an entrenched legacy of discrimination. What they do about that on their platform is what matters here.

herbst 10y ago
Thats my point, what should they do? They created a community run platform, everything they would do now would just make the users angry. Also seriously, what should they do? They cant forbid people to decline users, nobody would use such a platform.
- gohrt 10y ago
  > They cant forbid people to decline users, nobody would use such a platform. That's absurd. The USA is full of business running on platforms that are forbidden to discriminate against protected classes.
drivingmenuts 10y ago
What can they do about it, though? AirBnB doesn't own the property being rented. If it did, an anti-discrimination policy would be easier to enforce. AirBnB is essentially a jazzed-up listing service, not an actual hotelier, that is gouging out a buck while revealing the worst of our society.

return0 10y ago

Airbnb cant fix society, but they can easily enforce non-discrimination on their hosts.

dublinben 10y ago
>they can easily enforce non-discrimination on their hosts From reading this article, it sounds like they actually can't. Ultimately, they have to be willing to banish hosts who discriminate, which diminishes their platform.
MichaelGG 10y ago
They could try, if they want to sink their business. Telling people they no longer control who stays in their home does not seem like a smart move -- at least for actual home-sharers, not illegal hotel operators. And AirBnB doesn't want to really recognize the hotel operators, do they?
- return0 10y ago
  I doubt they would sink their business. Airbnb is no longer a startup that is given free licence to go against established laws. Compliance at this stage will benefit their business.
  - MichaelGG 10y ago
    AirBnB isn't discriminating. Private home owners are choosing to share their homes. For anti discrimination laws to apply, AirBnB would have to admit that many of their "sharing" people are just illicit hotels skirting the law.
herbst 10y ago
But how and why? Will you seriously take people away the choice who they want to host? How will you enforce this? Someone who declines blacks 5 times gets banned?
- return0 10y ago
  Then why have any anti-discrimination laws at all? Very easy to enforce: if airbnb investigates and finds you discriminate, you are out of the platform.

hyperbovine 10y ago

Discrimination at hotels and other public accommodations is unequivocally illegal in the US.

herbst 10y ago
A hotel is something different than a private home. Alone the insurance makes this a whole different situation.
jasode 10y ago
Those discrimination laws don't apply to hosts' private homes or bedrooms.[1] Paraphrase of law: "All persons shall be entitled ..., and accommodations of any place of public accommodation,..., without discrimination ... other than ... a building which contains not more than five rooms for rent ... which is actually occupied by the proprietor ... as his residence" If a homeowner has a spare bedroom across the hall from her 13-year-old son's room, and doesn't want to rent to transgender, black, or 65-year-old guests, it is legal for her to discriminate on those attributes. On the other hand, if the AirBnb host is renting out a non-owner-occupied beach house, the discrimination laws would apply. [1]https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/2000a https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/2000a:
- return0 10y ago
  > Those discrimination laws don't apply to hosts' private homes or bedrooms Well, they should, and if airbnb is not willing to comply, the lawmaker should force them to.
  - Cshelton 10y ago
    Here in America, we have the 4th Amendment. Don't like it? Leave. Airbnb is not responsible for this, nor is doing anything wrong. If I do not want somebody in my private home, they will not step a foot in my private home. In fact, if they do, I have the right to take defensive action, including the use of lethal force when necessary. Don't like it? Leave.

Cthulhu_ 10y ago

The part about a host not allowing a trans person isn't related to AirBnB either, it's one host's choice and there's nothing wrong with rejecting a renter for any reason. I've slept in hostels, they discriminate on age (nobody over 35 was allowed). There's probably plenty of hosts that won't accept men, or couples, or underage people, or people of a different faith.

duiker101 10y ago
Off topic but, do you know why no one over 35 would not be allowed? Just because it was a youth hostel?
herbst 10y ago
That was the worst about the article anyway, its a mum with a 13yo boy in puperty, it should be understandable that she does not want "special situations" IN HER HOME. That is nobodies business.