Racism has no place here

Roger86
Level 2
Fairfax, VA

Racism has no place here

Hi!

I am a new host. My very first guest and her daughter are staying in my unit as I type. So far my experience with Airbnb and hosts and guests have all been very positive. However, I think Airbnb really needs to figure out a way to get the racist hosts off the site. Here's the most read article of the day in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2017/04/07/one-word-says-it-all-asian-airbnb-host-re...

 

Generally speaking hotels are subject to Innkeeper Liabilities, which includes a duty to accommodate without discrimination. Airbnb hosts however are not under such liabilities. In a few states, hosts are now considered Landlords but in others not even that. Guests are either defined as tenants or licensees. Being deemed a landlord subjects hosts to a much lower level of liability than a hotel. It seems like Airbnb as company isn't liabile, because at most, it is considered a Travel Agency. 
 
Not that I want more liabilities as a landlord but this is the reason why this crap keeps happening. I appreciate all the efforts that Airbnb has already put in place to discourage discrimination. This kind of behavoir is so contrary to the spirit of Airbnb that it is turning away guests and hosts. This is not only not cool, this is bad for business.
 

 

18 Replies 18
Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Roger86 @Rachael26 @Monica4 @David126 @Jack-And-Kristy0 

With more than 100 hostings behind me I am starting to get to the point where I can talk with experience.

I don't host races....I host people! I don't give a s*it where they come from, I am not the slightest bit interested in whether they are Asian, African, Outer Mongolian, Eskimos......Gay (like my daughter). To me they are all wonderful people to host.

I was possibly a bit scared when I started to host hearing this race card thrown around so often....'Don't host people from here or there'! But as I have gone along virtually every guest I have had, I would love to see walk up my driveway again! If there has been something I have not been happy with, it's because they brought a massive dog or two with them, left the barbeque gas hotplate blazing away......It had nothing to do with their race....you don't have to be of a certain race to be a dic*head in life!

Hosting people......It is like breathing, I don't even think about it.....it's just something I do!

 

Cheers.....Rob

Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

The greatest insurance against prejudism (pick one, any),  is a good example. No one, not even governments,  can really manipulate personal choice; besides acceptance can't be demanded,  but earned. It is not that hard, despite the fact humans are bundles of emotions, they inherently do want to be fair and give the underdog a chance.

Hector212
Level 2
Ottawa, Canada

Well, I am going to deactivate my AirBnB ccount after few terrible experience I have with this site. First, I am not a "hotel".. So I want to know WHO is styaing with me. I do want a picture an a brief description before accepting a guest, and as my review hows, I accepted in the pass: Asian, Blacks, Whites, Latinos. Russians, Muslins, Guys, Girls, Gays, couples, old and young... and they all left excellent reviews about me. I am not a racist and I am open to any people, but in order to have a good experience, I want to know who is staying with me. A profile picture "says someting to me", a brienf description help, a message prior booking make me feel comfortable. So rejected 6 consecutive guests with no ID and AirBnB suspended my account for 5 days and told.. and now, we can not see pictures of guests prior booking. I told them to NOT send me bokking requests from people with no valid ID, but they keep doing it (and block my account if I reject them).. So I had enough. I am venting my frustration here, before deactivating my account (it will happen after my last booked guests complete this trip with me). They should apply their "no photo policy" to hosts who clearly shows sign of racism, not with people like me, who accepts everybody, as lomng as I am comfortable with the person.... what a big disappointment


@Hector212 wrote:

 I told them to NOT send me bokking requests from people with no valid ID, but they keep doing it (and block my account if I reject them).. 


There is no setting in the AirBNB software to block people from sending a request who have no submitted a Government ID. The only setting that requires a Government ID is within the Instant Book parameters. Not saying this is a good thing, but before you delist, it is worth understanding the distinction.