Listening Session: Kindness Cards, May 5th

[Airbnb]

Hello,

Many of you have had questions around the Kindness Cards program. We will be hosting a listening session on May 5th at 6:00PM GMT (London time) to share some more information about how this program works and gather some questions and further feedback about the program. 

Register in advance for this meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We hope to see you there. 

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Helen350 , I didn't want to ruin the surprise! JR

[Helen350]

Neither did I John! @Melodie-And-John0 -Superficially cheery, but quite nasty underneath, if you analyze it.... There, you've sent me into analytical overdrive ... (Not on this site!) 🙂

[Alba160]

Hi Stephanie,

Nice meeting you. I just read a PM you sent to Susan in February  where you state the opposite of what you are saying here, that she's not being banned because of her  negative feedback to Airbnb.  I am very extremelly  concerned that  Airbnb process and reasoning of canning Susan was not a clean and fair one. Now she can't even defend herself.  The fact that she's banned is because she was right and Airbnb is far away from being of who they claim to be "we all belong to the community". Unless you speak the truth.

[Paul60]

@Alba160 Well said Alba.  Clarity & honesty is definitely required.  

[Robin4]

@Alba160 

Alba, in a way @Susan17 spoke for all of us, but we all have to remember, the company permits us here on the platform on their terms. We undertake when we join Airbnb to abide by the company's rules and regulations, and one of those is that we will not overtly publicly criticise the operations of the company.

We do get a fair bit of leeway thanks to the discretion of the CC moderators, but there does come a point where Big Brother will step in. Susan has compiled an extremely comprehensive dossier on the operations of Airbnb.....you could say it has taken over a large chunk of her life. 

She has done this with the intention of releasing a public record, and this has possibly offended the top brass of the company.

We all hope that censorship does not become one of the pillars of the company Alba, and that we can all speak with an open mind....conversation is, after all, a two way street! Nobody knocks back or censors compliments, so they should be prepared to accept the criticism!

But the fact that we are here signifies that we accept what the company does.....if we don't, move on, close your Airbnb account and voice your opinions on another forum. 

I have been as critical as most, maybe even more, but I stop short of bringing legal aspects of the company's operation into the public forum. I vent my spleen but I don't wave legal statutes about! 

And whatever I say, I do so to try and make the company better, not bring it down.

I love Susan to bits for the way she has taken her cause to her heart, but she knew that sooner or later the company would say......enough is enough! 

But all I would say is....please don't shoot the messenger,  @Lizzie  @Stephanie  @Quincy  @Liv  @Nick @Anna These guys do a great job and in many instances they become the meat in the sandwich!

Cheers......Rob

[Stephanie]

Hiya @Robin4 and @Alba160 ,

As I previously mentioned, I will not discuss the reasons why this had to happen here publicly but will reiterate that this is something that has taken a long time to happen with several conversations over several months between our OCM staff and the user, including the note your refer to in February. It is unfair to list out guidelines violations publicly and we would never do such a thing for the sake of all users privacy. As some of you may be aware, when a guidelines is broken we will reach out to you via DM at the time rather than make a public statement. 

@Robin4 - the community guidelines say nothing of "not overtly publicly criticise the operations of the company." As several users here will know after being here for several years, we don't remove negative comments or mark them as a guideline issue. 

Many thanks for your concerns on this,

Stephanie

PS @Robin4 - we always appreciate your kind words and support 🙂

[Paul60]

@Stephanie Thank you for your msg Stephanie.  However all conversations are public here so if you do list out your concerns you will not be presenting anything that isn't already here.  I don't think its unfair to outline why one of our members and in many cases friend was banned.  Actually I would go beyond this and say it's unfair not to.  User privacy is not an issue here given by its very nature this is not a private forum.  

[Rebecca181]

Maybe for the same reason we don't get told why a host / superhost has been "disappeared"...?

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Robin4 

You do make me laugh sometimes 🙂

But all I would say is....please don't shoot the messenger,  @Lizzie  @Stephanie  @Quincy  @Liv  @Nick @Anna 

Thats being a hypocrite... Susan being the messenger here, is it OK for her to be shot instead?

If the top brass of the company don't like what she's reporting they are in a perfect position to stop doing 'it' and change. They have had more than every opportunity to change, they just need to re-calibrate their moral compass in the right direction to avoid the Tsunami.

Overtly publicly criticising the operations of the company.

Might be a little difficult on a private community forum !

[Ria16]

I’m sorry that Susan copped a ban as not only was she one of the most informative  and helpful people on here She always told it like it was . I hope she will be back soon. 
I would like to know how many ‘guests’ the questionnaire was sent out to regarding the kindness cards . I guess as with any company there’s a panel that get to test drive new projects and products.  . I would like to know as a guest how you get to be on the said panel.

 Noho Ora mai 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Ria16 

I agree with your sentiments. @Susan14 is a particularly welcome host who provides great factual content to the benefit of the community. The 'Top Contributors' leaderboard holds testament to this I noticed last night..

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 ,

Being right and being written are often exclusive of each other, that could be the case here but I can't say I know enough to say so and probably won't cause there are big fish in my fire right now and this probably won't be one of them.  

I love the fact that this place exists for us to have useless and useful banter, chats and create all these awesome relationships enriching both our personal lives and businesses.  There have been lots of truly heated conversations here that most other services supporting site hosts like this wouldn't let stand for 5 minutes, even Utube and Bookface are cutting and dicing legit content, as host to a free site, thats their choice and responsibility as is ours to continue to participate.     

Just as in the Thread File title "Hosting" , when your in someones home, being correct isnt always the most important thing.  The final word is always with the host of the stay or virtual conversation so a certain amount of decorum and due respect is necessary to keep especially hot conversations alive.  Anything short of that by a sensible guest might just be a persons way of saying Sayonara, adios or goodbye, its not the best for those of us that are left wanting more but it is what it is, we get what we pay for here, its free so what expectations we have might be more than we can truly require.    

All I can say is you never know what happens tomorrow or who we wont see again so be happy with the time we have with those that matter and pray for a little more in times to come if were lucky enough to get redux's.  Stay well, JR

[Jennifer1421]

@Melodie-And-John0 

Your point that a host has the final say in whether someone is welcome to stay (virtually or literally) is well-made and very true. We have certainly seen that happen here, much to the detriment of the community as a whole.

I'm not sure I agree, however, with the supposition that anyone doing their best to bring transparency and/or offering a dissenting (though factual) opinion is "asking for it" (to paraphrase the middle of your third paragraph).

As you say, none of us has the whole story. It would likely be a boon to us all, though, to have a conversation around this development. The community guidelines, found here: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Community-Center-Updates/Community-Center-Guidelines-Updated/td-... and the specifics of what is not allowed, seem to be quite open to interpretation (much like the pesky, and may I say dodgy, Terms of Service). I'd very much like a fulsome discussion, to ensure that I don't run afoul of any interpretations.

All I can say is that an ugly pall has been cast here, and I am very sorry for it. Maybe we could have a "listening session".

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Jennifer1421 , You could be right on that for sure.  Ive been part of many communities past and present and have willfully  withdrawn from a few that I enjoyed for years before I felt my energy fade.  These have been tough months for everyone but tougher for some than others, the "pall" you noted looms in many places not just here, its more like an angry funk that will tear us apart if were not careful and thoughtful.

I know that little I ever say here will filter up to anything that is going to shake things up on the platform and accept the camaraderie and exchange of ideas as as good as it gets, especially for what I'm paying!  I also know that if I m not actually able of having that great effect, I should not allow myself to get to down on myself or others based on anything said here on a forum.  I know and feel the passion others are exuding here but this is not really a perfect place for some conversations, for the sake of the other 34567 topics and threads that are often fun and informative, it wont help to let it wreck a day over something said here.  stay well Jennifer, JR

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Melodie-And-John0 

To say this is a free community is wrong. It is paid for. It is paid for from the fees received by Airbnb from Guests staying in Hosts accommodation. We have paid for this community and it is one where censorship of facts should not be allowed as we're not here to appease any owner/host. If any facts are objectionable - let them state such and engage, or change their actions. Allowing hosts to provide their time in providing a free education system doesn't mean they control the curriculum..