Airbnb Bans White Nationalists
Jeff Edwards August 16, 2017
Airbnb officials say that the site canceled some bookings in Charlottesville, VA when it became clear that the reservations were related to a white nationalist rally this weekend.
AirBnB says that after being compelled to void some reservations related to this weekend’s violent “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, VA, the company will move to aggressively deny bookings to avowed white nationalists in the future. Airbnb officials say that members of the organized hate groups are in violation of existing agreements in place for both overnight guests and property owners alike.
Calling the hate on display in Charlottesville “shocking,” Airbnb co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk told Bloomberg that the company is determined to step up the enforcement rules already in place. “More broadly we try to take a very strong stance against discrimination and hatred,” Blecharczyk explained. “We actually make every one of our users sign a pledge when they sign up that they will not discriminate and exhibit hatred. Whenever we become aware of such examples they are permanently banned from the platform.”
Blecharczyk added that Airbnb acted quickly this weekend to invalidate bookings and ban some users from the accommodation sharing site entirely when it became clear that properties were being used as part of a radical alt-right event. “We felt that was completely incompatible with our values as a business – so we took a strong stance,” he told Bloomberg TV on Monday.
The self-described “white pride” event in Virginia made international headlines after hundreds of torch-carrying attendees, some heavily armed, marched in the streets while chanting racist and anti-Semitic slogans. The organized rally turned violent and culminated in the tragic death of 32-year-old Heather Heyer who was viciously run down when a car plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters.
I find this interesting that Airbnb claims no discrimination on the platform but you use google search site:airbnb.com "muslim only" you'll see hundreds of active listings on the site which this type of clear discrimination (mainly malaysian). When looking for a place in KL a few months I reported many but zero action was taken, all listings then and now remain. If Airbnb are to police the platform then at least make it uniform, instead of whatever hashtag is trending.
Well look at the issue with Gay marriage which is being discussed in Australia right now. If businesses can say no to people of political opinion not matter how much we disagree with them as long as its not violent (A tricky definition to define) then for example people of a religious belief should be able to say no to baking a wedding cake for a gay couple if its their religious belief without being threatened legal action or a church refusing to marry a gay couple. At the end of the day being Gay is a choice which is no different than a religion. I am happy if someone is Gay/ Trans/Bi etc etc but its still a choice. Good grief lets move on from terms like Nazi and be civilised. I heard people calling activist from the left of politics Nazis. Such strong words are used too often and cheapens the word which really means something important in history for people to learn from. My grandmother experienced what real Nazis were when they occupied her lovely country, raped its resources and lost most of her classmates to the holocaust.
@tris06 You honestly don't see the difference between gays and Nazis? Good grief. From my point of view, it's perfectly acceptable if private entities decide not to do business with groups of certain political ideologies. As opposed to sexual orientation, gender, race and so on.
I honestly don't see how this type of behaviour differs from say a company or business saying no to business with say gay people because they don't like gays. I see it as a slippery slope. We can disagree with them but banning them like this is actually wrong. Maybe in the near future companies can ban people because they voted for Trump or other way around voted for Hillary as the company has difference of opinion. Also I do find concern if I was a shareholder if the company starts turning away business on political opinion. Its the governments job to lay down the rules if anyone is going to deny business.
@strikerj, I totally agree. Does AirBNB really think they can "police" people to this extent ? If that's the case, every restaurant, every form of transportation (airlines, car rental companies) should do what?, ask people who frequent them what their political affiliations and opinions are before they provide service? If you are not aware of someone's bad behavior or proclivities, don't start poking around to try to figure people out.