Discrimination Policy

[Donna37]

I just read the email from Brian Chesky that came with the new Discrimination Policy. Sounded a lot like bullying tactics to me! I live in the home where I rent out a room. If I continue to do that with Airbnb, I no longer have any say in who comes into my home. This is NOT okay. I will no longer feel safe if I cannot have interaction with potential guests. This my home and I have enjoyed the Airbnb experience using it, but not under this new policy.

[Ange2]

@Donna37  it is not as severe as that, read the whole policy, the link is in the email, there are exception clauses. 

Although, I will say it seems as though it has not been thought through properly and is weak as a means to really fight against discrimination.

[Donna37]

I did read the policy. If we will all be subject to Instant Book we do not have the ability to screen guests. The policy does imply Instant Book will be increasing and certainly for new hosts it is not optional at this point.

[Ange2]

@Donna37  I agree, mandatory instabook would be a huge problem.  But, I doubt they will be able to make that stick unless they want to lose 50% plus of their revenue earners (hosts)  too many are against it.  And I can just imagine the negative headline making experiences that will come out of it, as if there weren't enough already from instabook hosts.  Bad press kills business, another reason not to make it mandatory, unless their business model is expanding to other areas, in that case we are all left high and dry.

[Susie0]

They hope more hosts turn that on - to increase bookings - but there's no way they could or would require IB.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

I think there is still away around some of the IB issue IF all host are put on it. Aside from the 3 cancellations you have per year, persoanlly I would put at the top of my listing that people should message me first before using IB to check dates, details, etc. That would probably work for a lot of guests.

[John353]

Again, we need access to the search algorithm that Airbnb uses to list houses.  Consider what it means if they list all Instant Books first then non-instant books!  There's already concern that Airbnb mucks with the search with preferences and biases for certain host over others - say host that never had to cancel a reservation or for SuperHost.  With IB, they already have a check box for filtering your search for IB, putting non-IBs at a disadvantage.  I really want to know how far they've already taken this behind the scenes in code.

[Maria-Lurdes0]

@John353  I'm sure that the algorithm will continue to favor hosts with Smart Pricing and IB as well as favoring Superhosts (although I was a superhost for four years and didn't feel any bump).   They can bring up IB now couched and swaddled in this particular issue, but the goal is having all hosts on IB.  All platforms want it, and at least Wimdu was being very transparent about it two years ago when it started showing a bar graph, and you could see your ranking increase as you made 'favorable' changes.    So high prices, strict cancellation policy, no IB?  It would show you that your place is ranked 98th of out 200 listings (for example).   Then you modify the cancellation policy, you jump up 10 places.  Lower your price?  Jump up further.  Turn on IB?   Jump up again.   

I've been hosting on Airbnb since 2010 and have seen a lot of changes, and I have no doubt that soon we'll all be using IB.   Those hosts that opt out of IB will get dribs and drabs of inquiries and they'll finally tire of it and close the listing.  New hosts will be forced into IB.   It won't happen overnight, but in my opinion it will happen.

[Andrew173]

I completely agree

[Susie0]

Instant Booking is still an option - not a requirement.

[Linda108]

To be discriminatory is the right of every person and is part of the human process to ensure a sense of safety.  HOWEVER, being discriminatory based on the protected categories as enumerated in the policy is not acceptable in the Air BNB community.  It is no easy balance to allow host the appropriate screening tools for a reservation and allow the traveler the freedom to book appropriate to their travel needs.  I commend Air BNB in the process they are trying to implement, but I hope the host voice will always be heard.

[Sandra126]

I haven't seen the email fron Chesky but I read this http://www.wsj.com/articles/airbnb-promotes-diversity-to-prevent-booking-discrimination-by-hosts-147... in Wall Street Journal just then, which means I was unfortunately right about the missing pics. To avoid discrimination we will be less visible to each other. Such a shame as when you go as a guest to someone's home, you want to stay with someone you can relate to perhaps? A photo tells a million words. We will have to post photos of ourselves in the slideshow at the top! Not good changes, but Airbnb hired a top gun to gep new policies for the discrimination issues and I think they will follow whatever recommendations suggested as this is an expensive exercise. Though not as expensive as upsetting all the hosts???

Hosts with a landscape/flower/pic of their dog/logo as the host shot: You are on a winner, anti disctimination wise.

[Merrill0]

I count on the picture to make sure that the person who shows up at my front door is the one I am expecting. It seems that perhaps airbnb is trying to eliminate hosts who have people in the houses in which they actually reside. I dunno.

[Sandra126]

It is simple to make hosts choose to enable IB: Just make all the non-IB listings show up last.

Problems here though: How many more can we cancel as guests book with pets, toddlers, too many guests etc. This is a real issue, as big as discrimination as Airbnb doesn't want to be known as the place to get cancelled upon. I don't want to cancel anyone, ever but as it is now I can decline when they ask for stuff I do not provide.

Also police have recommended that we do not enable IB for our safety. The choice is ultimately ours - are we in or out? On IB or not? Will the TOS of IB change to make it work?

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

What I want to know is how are they going to police "discrimination" based on disability.  Are we all to become ADA compliant in our own homes?  Am I now "forced" to take someone who may be bound to a motorized scooter into my small, historic home that does not have doorways and walkways that would accomodate such a vehicle?  Do I have to let anyone with a Medical Marijuana card smoke in my home or lest I am acting discriminatory to their medical disability?  

Since we are close to the hospital, we've had more than one request for a guest to convalesce for weeks after a major surgery in our home (transplant patients, knee replacement, chemo treatments, etc).  If I deny such a guest in the future, because, frankly, I do not want people staying with me who are sick and ailing, will this be cause for my listing to be deactivated?