Innclusive's Anti-Discrimination Practices - Sound Familiar?

[Rebecca181]

Anyone who is aware of the home-share platform 'Innclusive', and how it came to be (it started out as a direct reaction to Airbnb's perceived discriminatory policies and practices) will recognize the new (and controversial) 'anti-discriminatory' practices and policies of Airbnb's as being eerily similar to Innclusive's own policies designed to prevent discrimination. Not sure if Airbnb  copied it exactly, but it almost seems like they did. Any of this sound familiar? From the Innclusive website at https://www.innclusive.com/why-innclusive:

Discrimination happens on Airbnb and other platforms primarily through folks seeing the names and photos of guests before accepting the booking. On our platform we remove this opportunity for discrimination by introducing the photo only after the booking is confirmed.

Discrimination happens far more likely on properties that require the host to approve properties first vs instant book properties that a guest can book and be instantly approved. 99.9% of our properties are instant book, and this is by design, so there is no opportunity for discrimination in the first place.

We use technology to prevent a host from denying a booking to one guest and then making those same dates available to another guest.

[Sarah977]

@Rebecca181   I see 3 thumbs up on your topic post- 7:42 PM Central  DS Time.

[Rebecca181]

Thanks, @Sarah977  must just be one of those 'glitches' (insert winking smiley face here).

[Rebecca181]

@Sarah977  So sorry to trouble you, but another thing I notice about my posts: The font on the title is not in Bold face, as are all the other post titles I see. Again, is that just me? This would be on the main discussion page where all the posts are listed. My post title, on my end, is in a thinner, fainter font while all the others are in bold font. No matter, really, just curious if it is my browser. 

[Sarah977]

@Rebecca181   The bold font appears on topic posts on the main page on threads that I'm not following. Those that I have contributed to and am following appear in the lighter, thinner font. I've actually seen this on another forum that I participate in, as well. So I don't think it's your browser, it's just the way it's set up. (I use Chrome)- sometimes I use Firefox- I'll try to remember to see if they appear like that in Firefox, too)

[Rebecca181]

Oh, I bet that's it, that is actually very helpful and not a bad idea on the CC forum admin's part, if so. Thank you, @Sarah977  once again!

[Deborah614]

OK, I just had a guest "instant book", arriving this Friday.    The profile picture is a gold fish.  

Huh?    I reserve the right to not accept anyone on Friday night who appears not looking like a goldfish.     

My message to Guest: 

Hi Bailey, would you please let me have a picture of you and your profile. Airbnb do not allow me to see who is coming into my home until after the booking is confirmed. Unless you are actually a goldfish, I'd appreciate being able to recognise you and get to know you. Airbnb began as a kind of community where host and guest were already well introduced prior to the guest arriving on the porch. Sadly that doesn't happen now, and I long for the return of the day when I felt I could recognise the person when they arrived, expecting to be let in to my home.  

Regards,
Deborah

[Rebecca181]

@Deborah614 LOVE it~ ! Do let us know if Airbnb follows up with some sort of corrective admonishment. Discriminating against goldfishes and all that.

[Deborah614]

Haha, this thread is so funny.    Maybe I should say, "welcome!  I just LOVE seafood!"     And point him toward the deep- fryer... 

[Sarah977]

But @Deborah614, a goldfish will be so much easier to host than a person. No bedding, no towels, a few fish flakes, and a clean bowl of water. I can't believe you're not thrilled about this reservation 🙂

[Rebecca181]

Indeed, @Sarah977 @Deborah614 I bet you and your little golfish guest will get along just swimmingly! But, if not - You just flush that little sucker right down the toilet and the matter will be entirely solved!

[Deborah614]

*** giggling *** Well, if the guest doesn't look like NEMO, I'm not letting him in.  

[Alon1]

@Deborah614 

Please know that you are still entitled to request a proper facial profile photo after Instant Book.

The 2 rules below were posted by Lizzie, the Administrator / Moderator of the CC. Lizzie posted it on a different discussion by Barbara 'The Magic is Gone' (also a contributor here).

.

1. Hosts can, in fact, request to see a photo of their guests before they arrive, as soon as the booking is confirmed. Here’s information on how to do that.

2. And if the photo isn't real (e.g. if it’s a picture of a rose or a clown), you have the option to cancel without penalty by calling Airbnb’s Community Support. (We’d also recommend messaging the guest directly before cancelling.)

[Rebecca181]

@Alon1  A host here reported that she was not able to cancel after seeing the non-humanoid photo. The guest also did not have a government-ID, which the host requires as part of Instant Booking. The host was not able to cancel the reservation, reportedly. She even had it kicked up to legal where someone named 'Sean' said that she could not cancel the reservation. So it seems that we may not be able to cancel that easily. If I am mis-remembering the details within this other post, please do correct me (anyone reading this); perhaps I am mistaken? At least, I hope I am...

[Alon1]

@Rebecca181 

I assume  you refer to Eileen in Bellevue, WA who gave a detailed account on Barbara's post 'The Magic is Gone'. Eileen's contributions are currently on pages 3, 4 and 10 of that post. The pinciple issue was 'Service Dogs'.

I've copied below Eileen's initial post in this series of exchanges with the Moderator Lizzie. Eileen's response to Lizzie refers to 'Sean' from Airbnb Legal Department:

I shut down my listing today because I was given a Warning since I declined a booking with 2 Large Service Dogs. I couldn't believe it...I have a No Pet policy and a small room with carpeting and a dog who does not accept other animals in her house. The woman had no photo and was not verified with a Government ID (which I require to book my room) and Airbnb took her side. It's laughable how they say "We've got your back -Don't worry" when they try to get you to turn on Instant Booking. I am a Super Host with more than 60 - 5 Star reviews and this is how I get treated. I asked if this woman had a Medical Certificate...Nope the law says she doesn't need to show that her dogs are certified service dogs. And No they didn't ask what kind of medical issue she had nor check her ID or photo. But I get dinged for declining the request. Isn't that some kind of discrimination?   

Lizzie,

Are you kidding? I tried to get it sorted out and am still in shock at how rude Sean on the legal team was to me.....

[Rebecca181]

@Alon1 Thank you for taking the time to find and share the thread. Much appreciated! I wrote a long post over a year ago about the service dog matter and the differences between an emotional support animal and an ADA-qualified service dog. The former is open to abuses, the latter is not. As evidenced by many prominent news stories on the subject this past year (airlines taking issue with peacocks traveling on planes and things like that...). Not sure if that's just a United States thing, perhaps this is not as much of an issue across the pond...