2022 China Olympics - Airbnb Sponsorship

[Henry172]

Is anyone else bothered by the company’s sponsorship of the Beijing Winter Olympics?

The human rights violations related to the Muslim Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region are unacceptable.  

[Sarah977]

@Henry172  Agreed. 

[M199]

@Henry172, @Sarah977 

There was a news article last week about this topic.  Try google or ctv news.  Sorry, can't recall enough to quote facts.

[Laure70]

[Sarah977]

@Laure70  That's way too tiny to read.

[Matt4383]

Yes, I’m very bothered and am actually working with a groups of friends to organize a boycott.  Airbnb has been despicable. Humanitarian groups have sent thousands of emails and letters to Brian Chesky, pleading that Airbnb not subsidize the Beijing Olympics and help the Chinese Communist Party whitewash its atrocities and imply that the world approves.  Chesky and Airbnb have  been completely silent. The bad thing is that the money Airbnb spends to help China hide its crimes is money that WE help them make. Their decision makes us complicit and I’m unwilling to stand by and subsidize the atrocities or the coverup.  So if Airbnb hasnt dropped their sponsorship by January 11 I’ll close my account on Jan 12. 

[Peter82]

I have reached out to Airbnb and I am requesting their position on this prior to passing judgement, one could argue that it is only by engagement and participation with such nations, societies and their events that one can make the most meaningful impact for the betterment of all. Isolating a nation and event often times causes additional detriment to the very groups well intended people  are trying to support.  Further passing  judgement against another society places one’s own society in a pretty fragile glass house.  

On the flip side of that argument is the phrase “Sportswashing” by supporting large events that are government hosted and organized is providing financial support for the very regime that has and is ongoingly violating Human Rights on a massive scale.  Further supporting this moral argument is the rather strange fact that Airbnb has elected not to acknowledge their financial support for this event on their own web site (at least in the USA).  If this organization is in fact a world wide community it is acting rather morally suspect because of this omission.  One worries we maybe not unlike a stockholder or an employee of a business that participated in the 1936 Olympics which were used as propaganda to bolster the Nazi regime… mind you after those games Poland was invaded.  

airbnb please respond 

[Dee1241]

Absolutely bothered by their sponsorship of the 2022 Olympics.  So much that several of us have or will be pulling our rentals from this site.  I will support or make money for people who are only interested in making money and doing business with China. 

[Laure70]

I am too feeling disgusted and outraged by the position Airbnb takes to choose money and opportunities over values and dignity. I just read the letter from Airbnb below and clearly I feel the ashamed to be a host and to be associated with such vile attitude. I feel the urge to distancing myself from Airbnb.

[Laure70]

In a capsule this is an answer from Airbnb to an EU representative asking Airbnb to acknowledge their participation is wrong. Airbnb is trying to find excuses to maintain their business in a region where genocide is happening and their sponsorship to a regime who is killing and raping people because of their race and religion. It is quite disgusting from Airbnb management.

[Cindy1146]

The Uhygur people are systematically beaten, tortured, raped, and have their organs harvested for profit. Airbnb by sponsoring the Olympics in China is saying this type of behavior is a-ok with them. I’m revolted and shocked that an organization that claims to be so woke that they won’t rent to right - wing TV personalities will In turn sponsor enslavement and torture. Be good or be bad. Airbnb is bad very very bad. I’m cancelling my account and never renting my two properties through them again. 

[Christian2698]

Dear colleague, I fully agree with your arguments, but the company that lives from us should be given the opportunity to recognize and rectify its mistakes. As a German myself, I am ashamed that Thomas Bach, as IOC President, accepts all these machinations of the Chinese government without comment.

[Christian2698]

For me it is incomprehensible that airbnb is an official sponsor of a dictatorship like China for the Olympic Games. it is unacceptable that membership fees are used for this. what do you think of this company policy?