Airbnb is now allowing racism on their platform!?!

[Neema7]

I just found out that Airbnb @Airbnb  is allowing racism on their platform. After a guest violated several of our House Rules and I wrote an honest review on her profile, she wrote a PUBLIC review response claiming that I would have only mentioned this because of her race, stating "..because I'm black" in writing in there, which is clearly racist defamation of my name and completely unacceptable (and OF COURSE not true). I've contacted Airbnb and even copy/pasted their own policies as this would go against several of their policies:

1) Airbnb's Review Policy:
#3 "Profanity, name calling, and assumptions about a person’s character or personality".
2) Airbnb's Contect Policy:
"Content that is discriminatory (review our Nondiscrimination Policy for more info).
Content that is illegal or that violates another person’s or entity’s rights, including intellectual property rights and privacy rights.".
3) Airbnb's Nondiscrimination Policy:
"Inclusion – We welcome people of all backgrounds with authentic hospitality and open minds. Joining Airbnb, as a host or guest, means becoming part of a community of inclusion. Bias, prejudice, racism, and hatred have no place on our platform or in our community. "
"Respect – By connecting people from different backgrounds, Airbnb fosters greater understanding and appreciation for the common characteristics shared by all human beings and undermines prejudice rooted in misconception, misinformation, or misunderstanding."

And still.. all I got back from Airbnb several times is that her statement calling us racist would apparently NOT violate the Airbnb policies: "we have determined that we are unable to identify a violation of our review policy". This is insane!!! How can Airbnb stand for this and allow such thing on their website? They block out numbers and websites but do not block out or review/investigate sentences like this? This is insane and unacceptable.

Unfortunately, I don't have a Twitter account because I heard that Airbnb only takes action when mentioning something like this on Twitter. Anyone any idea?

[Neema7]

It also violates a 4th of Airbnb's Policies as it's also mentioned in their own Terms of Services:
General Terms #9. Reviews"
"After each Host Service, Guests and Hosts will have an opportunity to review each other. Your Review must be accurate and may not contain any discriminatory, offensive, DEFAMATORY, or other language that violates our Content Policy or Review Policy."

[Marit-Anne0]

@Neema7 you do realize that the response to your review will only show on the guest profile and will reflect badly on the guest rather than you ?

I have a similar response to a review, a long rant also playing the racist card. I just let it go as it will only show if future guests do a reverse search.

[Neema7]

Yes I know, but it's still public on her profile for anyone she is contacting on Airbnb to see and my name and profile as well as my listing are connected on this review response. It's still public defamation and I can't believe after all the emails Airbnb sent around and us hosts having to explicitly accept new nondiscrimination policies extra here on Airbnb and that even after I copy/pasted their own policies, they would not remove such a public statement nor remove this guest "..have no place on our platform or in our community."

[Marit-Anne0]

@Neema7 airbnb in a nutshell, big talk, no action.

If you really want to pursue, use social media or the press.

Or trying again, hoping for a competent agent, usually Twitter gives the best result in that direction.

[Kia272]

@Neema7  I read her review/response and it mostly just reflects badly on her. I wouldn't worry about it too much, although AirBnB should absolutely adhere to their own policies.  I had a similar situation a couple of months ago. The guest's response to my review of her suggested that I needed psychiatric help. While I was actually trying to get the review removed (which AirBnB refused to do), they did remove her response on her profile, but it took a while. That might be the case in your situation. Nothing at AirBnB happens quickly these days. 

What I would worry about is the fact that you seem to be hosting large groups during the Covid crisis. Many of the recent reviews for your properties mention large groups of family/friends/guests. I understand that hosting is your business, but if people are looking to book places like this at this time, then they aren't really rule followers to begin with. Have you thought about reducing capacity for some of your larger properties? (I didn't look at them all, just your overall reviews and responses) You seem to have a problem with groups not treating the properties well. Wouldn't that help resolve some of your issues? 

I am still hosting, but I have a stand-alone property with a capacity of 4. I have only booked same-household families since Covid began, and once two best friends who made it clear that they were in each other's bubble. 

I understand that you have to make a living, but I personally could not do what you are doing, which I feel is condoning unsafe gatherings during this pandemic. I understand that you cant' control the general population, and it's certainly not your job to do so, but you can control who and how many book your properties. 

Please don't consider this an attack- it's just my opinion, and perhaps some food for thought. Best, Kia

[Neema7]

Hi @Kia272 Thank you very much for your response. For once, that unfortunately wouldn't change the fact that some play this racist card and that Airbnb is not following / adhering to their own policies that they are setting and showing again that they only go after hosts/owners and not after guests when it comes to community standards, which is my main concern. Thank you for your feedback. We do have pretty large properties and and a maximum guest count limit (which includes day visitors that need to be fully entered towards the total guest count even when not staying the night) and we still have about half of the people arguing with us and getting mad when we tell them they can't have additionally more visitors coming and going during their stay. I need to have this conversation almost every week unfortunately especially on our smaller properties that have a lower total guest count limit.. aka "When I'm booking a rental, I should be allowed to have how many and whoever I want over if they don't stay the night." -.- Guest don't read, not even the first paragraphs on listing descriptions even when we send them those as reminders in messages and let them confirm that they have fully read, understand and agree to them as well before we even accept any booking. What we noticed this year is to be careful with locals renting the properties as that mostly turned out to be a mess so we are asking more questions if we get a request from locals and letting them know about our concerns.