Singer and actress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">Fantasia Barrino</a> claims she was the victim of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/racism">racial profiling</a>” after she was asked to leave an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/airbnb">Airbnb</a> property earlier than scheduled. 
The 39-year-old celeb told her side of the story on X.  
&#8220;My stomach is so uneasy this morning as I’m riding back to my home in the cold and rain,&#8221; Barrino wrote in a <a href="https://twitter.com/TasiasWord/status/1736408603832070467">post</a> shared on Sunday. &#8220;I don’t say much when people do me wrong, but I can’t stay quiet on how my family and I were just treated from a host with (Airbnb) trying to kick my kids and I out at 12:00 midnight.&#8221;
The “American Idol” season 3 winner said the property owner &#8220;accused us of having a party with loud noises outdoors because they saw balloons being dropped off and a game truck with no generator in the early part of the day.&#8221; 
Barrino said the number of people staying over was the same as the number of guests provided in her reservation.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700760801843000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
&#8220;They never said we weren’t allowed to have any company over!!&#8221; the actress went on. &#8220;It&#8217;s evident from the sayings on the wall, to the outdoor fire pit/jacuzzi and a well-equipped game room in the garage/poker table that people host parties and/or gatherings here on the lake often as there were weights with balloon ribbon left in the garage from a previous party at the house.&#8221;
Barrino concluded by sharing her speculation about why her group was asked to leave. &#8220;It&#8217;s evident to me this was racial profiling and the treatment we received was due to the color of our skin,” she wrote. “I wanted my son to enjoy his friends (10-12) year old and make him feel special as I have been traveling for the last 35+ days promoting a movie I starred in. This time, I dare not stay quiet.&#8221;
Airbnb&#8217;s customer support account responded to the singer’s claims with a reply to the post.
&#8220;Hi Fantasia, Airbnb does not condone discrimination in any way,&#8221; the post said with a link to the company’s non-discrimination policy. &#8220;Please send us a (direct message) with the email address connected to your booking, so our team can follow up. Thank you.&#8221;

Fantasia Barrino

Fantasia Barrino Insists She Was Kicked Out Of Airbnb Due To ‘Racial Profiling’: ‘I Dare Not Stay Quiet’

Fantasia Barrino Insists She Was Kicked Out Of Airbnb Due To 'Racial Profiling'

Airbnb

Celebrities

Entertainment

Racism

U.S.

The family of a 19-month-old girl filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Airbnb after their toddler died of an apparent fentanyl overdose while staying at a vacation rental property in Florida.
Boris and Lydie Lavenir checked their family into a four-bedroom, two-bath lake house rental in Wellington, Florida, for three nights from August 6 to August 9, 2021, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/family-sues-airbnb-19-month-old-dies-fentanyl-toxicity-florida-vacatio-rcna73536?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC</a> reported. The following day, their toddler Enora napped with one of her three siblings on a bed in the house after watching television and playtime.
Over an hour later, Enora&#8217;s mother checked on her and &#8220;found her unresponsive and foaming at the mouth,&#8221; according to the lawsuit. She performed chest compressions on Enora as the family called 911.
&#8220;Then I heard, &#8216;Enora is dead! Enora is dead,'&#8221; Lavenir told NBC.
Enora&#8217;s family initially believed their child had died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, more commonly known as SIDS, in which approximately 3,400 babies under age 1 die expectedly each year. But a Palm Beach County medical examiner and an independent toxicology report revealed Enora had a lethal amount of fentanyl in her system, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/03/03/toddler-died-fentanyl-left-behind-airbnb-family-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post</a>.
It remains unclear how Enora ingested the deadly opioid, which caused more than 56,000 deaths from overdoses in the U.S. in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
&#8220;There were no signs of any narcotic medications or any illegal narcotics at the crime scene and her death was listed as accidental,&#8221; the Palm Beach County Sheriff&#8217;s Office said in an incident report.
The report also said Enora&#8217;s baby formula and her parents tested negative for drugs.
According to NBC, the complaint also accuses the rental&#8217;s owner and manager, the prior guest who booked the space through VRBO vacation rentals, of negligence.
A sheriff&#8217;s report indicated a resident in the neighborhood of the rental property said a &#8220;large party&#8221; took place at the lake house two nights before the Lavenir family checked in. The property has been the home of &#8220;parties and rentals prior to the family&#8217;s stay at the location.&#8221;
The lawsuit alleges that Airbnb failed to ensure the property was safe before the Lavenir family arrived.
&#8220;In reality, the subject premises had a history of being used as a party house and had just days earlier hosted a group of approximately a dozen adults who used cocaine and other drugs, including but not limited to fentanyl throughout the home,&#8221; the suit says.
&#8220;It&#8217;s like we fell into a trap,&#8221; Enora&#8217;s father, Boris, told The Post.
Thomas Scolaro, the Miami-based attorney representing the family, told The Post he believes partygoers brought fentanyl into the house.
&#8220;The only thing we have here is our common sense,&#8221; Scolaro said. &#8220;It was definitely in that unit, that Airbnb. Which particular person left the drugs is frankly not anything I&#8217;m trying to prove. What I want to show is Airbnb provided no cleanup, no warning, no measure of safety for the family.&#8221;
The Lavenir family hopes to draw attention to the dangers of fentanyl after losing their daughter Enora.
&#8220;Fentanyl is incredibly potent. So you&#8217;re only talking about a couple of grains of salt-size particles, which would result in this level of toxicity to a 19-month-old baby,&#8221; Scolaro told NBC.
&#8220;I&#8217;m not surprised that the sheriff&#8217;s office did not find a vast reserve of fentanyl in the unit,&#8221; Scolaro added. &#8220;But what we do know based on the timeline, and based on the statements from these prior renters, is there were drugs in that unit and the child was not exposed anywhere else, period. There&#8217;s literally no other conceivable place this child could have encountered this fentanyl but in that rental home.&#8221;
A spokesperson for Airbnb told media outlets the company offers its condolences to the Lavenir family in a statement.
&#8220;Our hearts go out to the Lavenir family and their loved ones for their devastating loss,&#8221; the spokesperson said.
Airbnb has not yet filed a response in court to the lawsuit.

Logo Photo Illustration

Family Of Deceased 1-Year-Old Daughter Sues Airbnb, Others Over Deadly Fentanyl Toxicity Exposure

Drugs

Fentanyl

Florida

General

<div class="css-1dbjc4n">
<div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1s2bzr4">
Canadian conservative activist and YouTuber <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-was-in-such-a-dark-place-youtuber-lauren-southern-shares-powerful-detrans-story-from-canada" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lauren Southern</a> announced Tuesday that her parents had been banned from vacation rental property company <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/airbnb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Airbnb</a> for being &#8220;closely associated&#8221; with their daughter.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve removed you from the Airbnb platform because your account is closely associated with a person who isn&#8217;t allowed to use Airbnb,&#8221; an email from the company to Southern&#8217;s parents said. &#8220;This means you&#8217;ll no longer be able to book reservations on Airbnb.&#8221;
Southern was banned from Airbnb years ago over her Right-wing political views and was denied reinstatement when she tried to appeal.
&#8220;My parents just got banned from AirBnB for being related to me,&#8221; Southern captioned the now-viral Twitter post. &#8220;They have never booked anything for me. They do not represent me in any way. They aren&#8217;t publicly political in any way. How is this sane in any way [Airbnb].&#8221; 
As of Wednesday morning, Southern&#8217;s post about the ban has received more than 6.8 million views.
</div>
</div>
&#8220;My parents are some of the sweetest people I know. They were just planning a romantic getaway, they aren&#8217;t political activists,&#8221; she added. &#8220;All I&#8217;ve learned is that if governments and corporations can&#8217;t shut you up by harming you, they&#8217;ll now go for your families.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
My parents are some of the sweetest people I know. They were just planning a romantic getaway, they aren&#39;t political activists. 🙁
All I&#39;ve learned is that if governments and corporations can&#39;t shut you up by harming you, they&#39;ll now go for your families.
&mdash; Lauren Southern (@Lauren_Southern) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lauren_Southern/status/1623107195574575105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Airbnb told The Daily Wire the banning of Southern&#8217;s parents was a &#8220;mistake.&#8221;
&#8220;We have reinstated their accounts and apologized to them for this mistake,&#8221; a spokesperson said.
The Daily Wire reached out to Southern about the response, and she said she believes Airbnb is &#8220;lying&#8221; about the ban being a mistake and only backtracked because of the public blowback.
&#8220;I think it’s obvious to everyone that my parents never would’ve been reinstated if Airbnb didn’t start trending last night,&#8221; Southern told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;How do you accidentally find a political activist&#8217;s parents?&#8221; she posed. &#8220;How do you accidentally ban them after she was banned 3 years ago? How do you accidentally write an email that specifically highlights they’re being banned for their associations?&#8221;
&#8220;I could see someone accidentally being locked out of their account for a glitch that emails them a generic letter, this was no generic letter nor random family. Airbnb are lying,&#8221; Southern asserted. &#8220;This was no mistake, it only became one when the world was less woke than they thought.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-was-in-such-a-dark-place-youtuber-lauren-southern-shares-powerful-detrans-story-from-canada" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘I Was In Such A Dark Place’: YouTuber Lauren Southern Shares Powerful Detrans Story From Canada</a>

US-POLITICS-UNIVERSITY-BERKELEY

‘Airbnb Are Lying’: Lauren Southern’s Parents Banned From Airbnb For Ties To Daughter, Then Reinstated Over ‘Mistake’

Lauren Southern’s Parents Banned From Airbnb For Ties To Daughter, Then Reinstated Over ‘Mistake’

World

A location listed on Airbnb as a &#8220;slave cabin&#8221; was removed from the platform after a TikTok user spoke out against the company profiting from a former slave location.
Wynton Yates, a black lawyer from New Orleans, blasted Airbnb over the listing labeled &#8220;The Panther Burn Cottage at Belmont Plantation&#8221; in Greenville, Mississippi.
&#8220;If you were to see just the pictures of the inside of it, you&#8217;d have no idea [of] the history of that building, and I think for me, that is a mockery of the experience,&#8221; Yates <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2022/08/01/airbnb-banning-former-slave-quarters/10209183002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> USA Today. &#8220;It is the continuation of erasing what the experience of slavery was.&#8221;
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyerwynton/video/7125545174083652910" data-video-id="7125545174083652910">
<section><a title="@lawyerwynton" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyerwynton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@lawyerwynton</a> <a title="airbnb" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/airbnb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#airbnb</a> this is not ok. <a title="history" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#history</a> <a title="civilrights" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/civilrights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#civilrights</a> <a title="americanhistory" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/americanhistory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#americanhistory</a> <a title="♬ Blade Runner 2049 - Synthwave Goose" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Blade-Runner-2049-6839324086548563969" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ Blade Runner 2049 &#8211; Synthwave Goose</a></section>
</blockquote>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<section></section>
Yates&#8217; posted a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyerwynton/video/7125545174083652910" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> to TikTok speaking out against the rental listing used as &#8220;a tenant sharecroppers cabin&#8221; and &#8220;a medical office for local farmers and their families.&#8221; The property was also listed as an &#8220;1830s slave cabin.&#8221; The post has garnered more than 2.6 million views.
In an interview with Mic, Yates added that the listing felt like a mockery of the history of American slavery.
“Growing up, [my family] would take my siblings and my cousins and I and put slave shackles in our hands so that we could feel the weight of the steel that was put on our ancestors’ bodies to contain them,” Yates <a href="https://www.mic.com/life/airbnb-slave-cabins-plantations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a> with the outlet. “To see someone just blatantly make a mockery out of it just didn’t sit right with me.”
Viewer comments expressed widespread shock over the property&#8217;s purported historical usage, including the mention that more than 60 reviews had been left by people who had stayed at the cabin.
&#8220;How do you sleep there and not feel the pain in that room?&#8221; one user asked.
&#8220;This is soooo not ok!!!&#8221; another responded.
&#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t be able to sleep in there knowing the pain and suffering slaves went through. Who does this?&#8221; one commenter asked.
&#8220;I am not even sure where to start with this one. Can&#8217;t believe people actually stayed there and reviewed it,&#8221; still another person commented.
A follow-up <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyerwynton/video/7125805868221746474" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> by the lawyer claimed that the cabin had been moved from its original location to its current spot.
According to a <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/08/02/airbnb-remove-former-slave-quarter-list-platform/">report</a> by TMZ, an Airbnb spokesperson says they&#8217;re removing listings that are known to have included former slave quarters on site in the U.S.
The company also <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/08/02/airbnb-remove-former-slave-quarter-list-platform/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apologized</a> for &#8220;any trauma or grief created by the presence of this listing, and others like it, and that we did not act sooner to address this issue.&#8221;
According to USA Today, the property changed ownership last month. The new owner, Brad Hauser, said he opposed the previous owner&#8217;s decision to market the building as a place where enslaved people once slept. He said that the cabin had actually not been slave quarters, but just a doctor&#8217;s office.
&#8220;I intend to do all I can to right a terrible wrong and, hopefully, regain advertising on Airbnb, so The Belmont can contribute to the most urgent demand for truth-telling about the history of not only the South but the entire nation,&#8221; Hauser said.

former slave quarters

Airbnb Removes ‘Slave Cabin’ Listing After TikTok User Complaint

Airbnb Removes 'Slave Cabin' Listing After TikTok User Complaint 

Mississippi

TikTok

The popular travel destination site Airbnb <a href="https://thehill.com/news/media/3471436-airbnb-announces-all-employees-can-live-and-work-anywhere/">announced</a> Thursday that it would allow employees to work remotely and is rolling out a plan to allow its workers to “live and work anywhere.”
Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky <a href="https://news.airbnb.com/airbnbs-design-to-live-and-work-anywhere/">sent</a> an email to workers around the world explaining the shift. 
“We started this process by asking a simple question—where is the world going?” he wrote. “The answer is obvious—the world is becoming more flexible about where people can work. We see this in our own business.”
The CEO acknowledged, however, that there is a difficulty to create impactful connection when there is limited in-person interaction, saying, “Zoom is great for maintaining relationships, but it’s not the best way to deepen them.”
&#8220;The right solution should combine the best of the digital world and the best of the physical world,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It should have the efficiency of Zoom, while providing the meaningful human connection that only happens when people come together. We have a solution that we think combines the best of both worlds.&#8221;
He also said he trusts his team to be able to do the work remotely.
The new remote work plan has five elements: 
<blockquote>1. You can work from home or the office
2. You can move anywhere in the country you work in and your compensation won’t change
3. You have the flexibility to travel and work around the world
4. We’ll meet up regularly for team gatherings, off-sites, and social events
5. We’ll continue to work in a highly coordinated way</blockquote>
The company also noted how it is “actively partnering with local governments” to create an easier process for more individuals to travel and work around the globe. Chesky pointed out how more than 20 countries currently offer remote work visas and more efforts are underway. 
He also said a “small number of roles will be required to be in the office or a specific location” to carry out their main job requirements, and those workers had already been told of this expectation.
The move could make sense for a company that was negatively impacted by the pandemic but has recovered due to the lingering effects it brought to work culture. 
Chesky pointed to the fact that people adjusted their use of short-term rentals post-pandemic in his email to employees, stating, “We wouldn’t have recovered so quickly from the pandemic had it not been for millions of people working from Airbnbs,” adding how during the second half of 2021, 20% of Airbnb nights booked were for periods of more than a month, while half were for durations of more than a week. 
A 2021 <a href="https://www.magnifymoney.com/blog/news/short-term-rentals-airbnb-study/">study</a> of 20 main Airbnb markets by LendingTree showed the impact the pandemic had on the company. Short-term rental listings went down in 19 of the 20 areas studied between May 2020 and March 2021, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/15/realestate/what-happened-to-airbnb-during-the-pandemic.html">reported</a>. Broward County, Florida, saw an increase in listings. 
The study noted that many short-term listings got out of the market, but the ones that remained made people stay longer in the properties. 
“In 15 of the 20 markets analyzed, the average minimum nights required to book a short-term rental increased,” it added. Some areas were impacted by legislation that made people book short-term rentals for a longer period of time, but “[n]ot all cities that saw an uptick in the minimum required length of stay enacted new legislation.” Some places saw their minimum required stay duration go down over the time period, but they were in areas that “tended to cater to short-term stays already with average minimum lengths of roughly less than a week,” per the report.

1AF0D2C9-A4DF-4CD7-836A-A034FFF54729_1_201_a

Airbnb To Allow All Employees To Work Remotely: ‘Live And Work Anywhere’

Airbnb Tells Workers They Can Work Remotly From Anywhere In The World

Pandemic

Remote Work

A shooting on Pittsburgh&#8217;s North Side that took place in the early hours of Easter Sunday left at least two dead and a number of others wounded.
According to reports from local law enforcement, the shooting took place around 12:30 a.m. local time at an AirBNB rental property in Deutschtown, Pittsburgh&#8217;s East Allegheny neighborhood.
The Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-shootings-pittsburgh-1e2c7890500b729ca76610b47d8e5769">reported</a>:
<blockquote>
Shots fired at a house party in Pittsburgh early Sunday left two minors dead and at least nine more people injured, police said.
The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. during a party at a short-term rental property where there were more than 200 people inside — many of them underage, Pittsburgh police said in a news release. At least 11 people were being treated for gunshot wounds and two male victims died at the hospital, police said.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Pittsburgh police confirm two juveniles have died and at least nine other people were shot overnight at a party at an AirBnB. At least 50 shots were fired. <a href="https://t.co/SivEK05qiq">https://t.co/SivEK05qiq</a>
&mdash; WTHR.com (@WTHRcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/WTHRcom/status/1515650027175260160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Pittsburgh Public Safety Spokeswoman Cara Cruz said that in addition to gunshot wounds, several people suffered from injuries sustained while attempted to flee the scene — a few breaking bones as they jumped from the windows.
She noted that as officers arrived on the scene, they saw people &#8220;running and driving away from the scene&#8221; even as more shots were being fired in the vicinity.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette&#8217;s Julian Routh shared a number of updates from local law enforcement, noting that the building had previously been rented out for parties without any major incident and that police had actually been on the property prior to the shooting.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A video of the incident appeared to show a party attendee shouting, &quot;He&#39;s got a gun!&quot; and urging others to head for the doors.
What sounded like a # of rapid gunshots could be heard shortly after as attendees — packed shoulder to shoulder, many screaming — rushed to exit.
&mdash; Julian Routh (@julianrouth) <a href="https://twitter.com/julianrouth/status/1515718707808542732?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;A video of the incident appeared to show a party attendee shouting, &#8220;He&#8217;s got a gun!&#8221; and urging others to head for the doors,&#8221; Routh tweeted. &#8220;What sounded like a # of rapid gunshots could be heard shortly after as attendees — packed shoulder to shoulder, many screaming — rushed to exit.&#8221;
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, at home because he was diagnosed Friday with COVID-19, responded to the shooting <a href="https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/pittsburgh-mayor-ed-gainey-reacts-north-side-mass-shooting-that-left-2-dead-9-injured/BWWBFRIGAFEHTDDVVQKKQCYHG4/">in a statement</a>.
&#8220;First and foremost, our hearts and our prayers go out to the victims’ families, their loved ones, and our entire city today. Thank you to our first responders, our public safety officials, and to all the hospital and EMS workers providing care to the victims,&#8221; Gainey began, going on to ask the public for help in identifying anyone who might be connected with the shooting.
&#8220;At least 10 gunshot victims, two lives lost, and hundreds of lives forever changed, because we have yet to pass meaningful legislation to lessen the amount of guns in our streets or provide the much-needed resources to communities desperately need,&#8221; Gainey continued. &#8220;The time is now for us to move with a sense of urgency to bring justice to the victims and peace to our city.&#8221;
Gainey concluded with a call for action in combatting gun violence in general, saying that he planned to meet with public safety officials and community leaders in an effort to determine the best path forward.
&#8220;It is critical that we come together now to help reduce the violence currently happening while we begin to do the long-term work of ending the culture of violence that is enabling the senseless loss of life we are experiencing today,&#8221; he said.
Police are reportedly looking for multiple suspects after <a href="https://twitter.com/julianrouth/status/1515726318968741892">shell casings</a> from both handguns and rifles were found at the scene and at several areas outside the building that have been marked off as additional crime scenes.
&#8220;We&#8217;re not going to sleep until we get who did this. This shouldn’t have happened. We&#8217;re sick about it. We&#8217;re going to do everything we can to get those responsible for it,&#8221; Pittsburgh Police Chief <a href="https://twitter.com/julianrouth/status/1515726725812043776">Scott Schubert</a>.
AirBNB is reportedly <a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article260495757.html">cooperating with authorities</a> in order to get to the bottom of the situation.

Shooting At Pittsburgh House Party Leaves 9 Injured And 2 Dead

Shooting In Pittsburgh Leaves At Least Two Dead, More Injured

Mass Shooting

Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh

Police

Shooting

Airbnb has banned Michelle Malkin, blocking the right-wing political commentator from booking reservations on its platform, the company confirmed last week.
Malkin, who has aligned herself in recent months with Nick Fuentes’ America First movement, said on Twitter Wednesday that she and her husband had been banned from staying at Airbnb locations. The vacation rental company deleted Malkin’s account because of her participation in the 2021 American Renaissance Conference, according to an email Malkin posted online.
“It has come to our attention that you were a keynote speaker for the 2021 American Renaissance Conference earlier this month in Tennessee,” the email said. “Airbnb’s community policies prohibit people who are members of or actively associate with known hate groups. Due to your promotion and participation in a known white nationalist and white supremacist conference, we have determined that we will remove your account from Airbnb. This is consistent with action we’ve taken to ban people associated with this conference in past years.”
The platform confirmed Malkin’s ban in a statement to <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/michelle-malkin-banned-from-airbnb-after-attending-hate-fest">The Daily Beast</a> on Wednesday. “Consistent with our policies, if we become aware of users who are members of or are actively affiliated with hate groups, we remove them from Airbnb,” spokesman Ben Breit said.
Malkin gave a speech at the American Renaissance Conference titled “Race, Immigration, and Con. Inc: How I Came to See the Light.” The conference is an annual event put on by the race-essentialist outlet <a href="https://www.amren.com/about/">American Renaissance</a> which claims that “[r]ace is an important aspect of individual and group identity” and “whites, like all racial groups, have legitimate interests that must be defended.”
In an <a href="https://prescottenews.com/index.php/2022/02/06/opinion-why-airbnb-banned-me-and-my-hubby-too-michelle-malkin/?amp=1">opinion piece</a> published last week, Malkin suggested that the Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League’s classification of American Renaissance as a “hate group” played a role in her ban from Airbnb. It is unclear how much, if at all, Airbnb coordinates with the SPLC and ADL in its decisions to ban users. Airbnb did not immediately respond to The Daily Wire’s request for comment.
“In November, I spoke at a peaceful conference held by an organization that is deemed a ‘hate group’ by the Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League,” Malkin wrote. “A week after my talk, San Francisco-based Airbnb notified me that I was banned from using its services ever again and imperiously deleted my account. Poof!”
The SPLC and ADL, left-leaning groups that claim to monitor hate and extremism, both consider American Renaissance to be a white supremacist outlet. The SPLC and ADL have come under fire in the past over claims that the groups unfairly malign right-wing people and organizations.
Malkin said Airbnb’s actions against her are part of an “ideological witch hunt” against “anyone deemed an ‘extremist’” and said that she had been a target of such “hunts” by the SPLC and ADL since 2002 when she published her first book, “Invasion.”
“But this latest salvo crosses the line,” Malkin wrote. “It’s not enough that I — a ‘woman of color’ (the left’s own descriptive label, not mine) and mother of two multiracial children — was pronounced guilty of ‘hate’ crimes and ‘promotion’ of ‘white supremacist’ ideas for delivering a speech whose full content Airbnb didn’t even bother to obtain from me. The Airbnb bullies also banned my equally nonviolent, nonhateful husband — who did not attend the conference and who is not a public figure or activist.”
Airbnb took action against Malkin’s husband’s account in addition to her own because “[a]s we can see that your Airbnb travels are typically reserved via your husband’s account, we will also proceed in removing his account,” according to the email Malkin posted.
“Neither of us had ever had a negative review, complaint or policy violation of any kind. Are my kids next? Are yours?” Malkin wrote. “Take note: You’re damned right I spoke peacefully and lawfully to the peaceful and lawful 2021 American Renaissance Conference and was honored to receive a warm welcome.”
“I resoundingly reject the notion that condemning Black Lives Matter and antifa terrorists constitutes ‘hate.’ I defy the Airbnb thought police who consider my husband and me ‘untrustworthy’ and ‘dangerous’ threats to community safety on par with convicted felons and sex traffickers,” she continued. “God willing, and with my readers’ and viewers’ help, I will fight these speech-stifling bigots who think they can get away with retaliating against me and my family for my journalism and activism.”

Airbnb Confirms Ban On Commentator Michelle Malkin

Michelle Malkin

On Tuesday, vacation rental service Airbnb announced that it will not be allowing landlords to list properties on its site if they evicted people for not paying rent during the coronavirus pandemic. 
“With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s national moratorium on residential evictions set to expire later this month, starting today, Airbnb will ban new US listings when a city notifies us that the listings are located at rental properties where the tenant has been evicted due to nonpayment of rent, and where the tenant had been protected by the CDC moratorium,” Airbnb <a href="https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/558455-airbnb-blocking-landlords-from-listing-properties-where-tenants">announced, per The Hill.</a>
Properties that are put up on the website after July 1 will fall under the new measure. 
“You can either be a solution to challenges that are out there, or you can be compounding the challenges,” Chris Lehane, Airbnb’s head of policy and communications, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/06/15/airbnb-evictions-ban-coronavirus/">told</a> The Washington Post. “We want to be a solution when it comes to economic opportunity.”
The company also said that it created a new portal to “enable governments to manage short-term-rental policies. Lehane said cities could use these tools to flag properties that violate the eviction ban, notifying Airbnb directly. More than 40 governments and tourism organizations around the world have access to those tools,” The Post reported.
Airbnb has reportedly also named Andrew Kalloch to work with cities on the new efforts as its “anti-eviction administrator.&#8221; “Kalloch currently serves as the company’s senior policy development manager,” per The Post. 
“Over the coming weeks, led by Mr. Kalloch, Airbnb will engage cities on implementing the COVID-19 Renter Protection Policy in their communities. This outreach will include a specific focus on those cities that are experiencing a high rate of evictions,” the company’s <a href="https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2281411054971/airbnb-blocking-landlords-from-listing-properties-where-tenants-were-evicted">statement</a> added.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, both the federal government and select states have taken efforts to ban landlords from evicting tenants who were not able to pay their rent, at the direction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/as-cdc-extends-ban-on-evictions-smaller-landlords-struggle-to-keep-properties">reported</a> by The Daily Wire in March, the CDC extended its suggested moratorium on evictions through the end of June, causing some landlords to struggle to keep up with costs. 
“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to the nation’s public health,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky in a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/0329-Eviction-Moratorium.html">statement</a> at the time. “Keeping people in their homes and out of crowded or congregate settings — like homeless shelters — by preventing evictions is a key step in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
The ban was originally set to run out at the end of March but was extended. The Biden administration has requested that the Supreme Court further extend the moratorium after a <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20A169/180893/20210603170521964_SCOTUS%20Application%20to%20Vacate%20Stay.pdf">group of real estate professionals asked</a> the Court to end the measure. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/29/covid-eviction-ban-forces-some-landlords-to-sell-properties.html">Smaller landlords have reportedly been harder hit</a> than larger corporations by the efforts.
The moratorium has faced several legal hurdles. As NBC <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/landlord-group-asks-supreme-court-lift-moratorium-evicting-tenants-n1269578">reported</a> earlier this month, a group representing some landlords said that keeping the moratorium &#8220;&#8216;will prolong the severe financial burdens borne by landlords under the moratorium for the past nine months.&#8221; The emergency application was &#8220;directed to Chief Justice John Roberts filed by the Alabama Association of Realtors.&#8221;
&#8220;&#8216;Landlords have been losing over $13 billion every month under the moratorium, and the total effect of the CDC&#8217;s overreach may reach up to $200 billion if it remains in effect for a year.&#8217; With the pandemic winding down the application said, the need for the eviction ban is fading,&#8221; the outlet noted.

D28F2B2E-208D-4C2A-B901-DFDA0B3FB5B3_1_201_a

AirBnB To Ban Landlords Who Evicted Tenants During Coronavirus From Listing Properties

Eviction

A collection of human rights groups wrote an open <a href="https://nobeijing2022.org/joint-open-letter-to-airbnb-urgently-remove-support-for-beijing-2022/">letter</a> to Airbnb, asking the company to end its involvement with the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to human rights violations committed by the Chinese government.
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/winter-olympics-beijing-2020-tokyo-olympics-china-olympic-games-c94f6ff2289cf26b0c6395423dc74e33">The Associated Press</a> reports that the letter was signed by 150 human rights advocates. Airbnb is only one of the 15 major <a href="https://www.olympic.org/partners">partners</a> involved in the Beijing Olympics. Additional partners include companies such as Visa, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Panasonic, Toyota, and more.
&#8220;The top 15 sponsors paid the [International Olympic Committee] about $1 billion in cash or services in the last complete, four-year Olympic cycle, to be associated with the games. Airbnb signed up in November of 2019,&#8221; the outlet reports.
The open letter to Airbnb&#8217;s co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky states, &#8220;Given the Chinese government’s discriminatory policies against Tibetans and Uyghurs and its repressive policies against other people under its rule, we urge you to withdraw your support for the Winter Games. Such a move would clearly signal Airbnb’s opposition to human rights violations, including what governments are increasingly recognizing as a genocide against the Uyghur people.&#8221;
The group points out that the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games will begin in less than a year &#8220;against a backdrop of severe repression and worsening human rights.&#8221; They mention how the officials in China have been touting the Olympics as &#8220;open&#8221; and &#8220;inclusive,&#8221; stating that it will make a &#8220;harmonious world&#8221; and advance &#8220;social progress.&#8221;
The letter also references Airbnb&#8217;s <a href="https://news.airbnb.com/en-uk/airbnb-and-ioc-announce-major-global-olympic-partnership/">statement</a> it released when it signed onto the partnership.
Airbnb&#8217;s Co-Founder, Joe Gebbia <a href="https://news.airbnb.com/en-uk/airbnb-and-ioc-announce-major-global-olympic-partnership/">said</a>, &#8220;&#8230; Our Olympic partnership will ensure that the Games are the most inclusive, accessible and sustainable yet, and leave a lasting positive legacy for athletes and host communities. Airbnb’s mission is to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere, and we are proud that the Olympic spirit will be carried by our community.”
Regarding Airbnb&#8217;s commitment to create accessible and inclusive environments, the letter adds, &#8220;With over 2 million Uyghurs arbitrarily detained in internment camps, with pro-democracy activists being rounded up en masse in Hong Kong, and with Tibet now listed as the least free place in the world, alongside Syria, it is hard to imagine how this will be the case.&#8221;
The group goes on to explain various abuses including &#8220;China&#8217;s systematic racist policies&#8221; directed towards Tibetans and Uyghurs. Such abuses include the government denying passports to Tibetans and Uyghurs, which the group points out is specifically pertinent to Airbnb because travelers must have a passport in order to book Airbnb locations or hotel accommodations in China.
The group notes that Tibetans and Uyghurs do not have the freedom to travel and &#8220;By promoting Beijing listings as a tourist destination, Airbnb is also glossing over China&#8217;s horrifying human rights record and normalising to the public what is recognised under international law as a deeply restrictive environment.&#8221;
The letter concludes, in part, &#8220;We urge you to use your influence with the IOC to press for the Games to be moved and if this doesn’t happen to immediately remove your support, or risk being tainted by the association.&#8221;
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/winter-olympics-beijing-2020-tokyo-olympics-china-olympic-games-c94f6ff2289cf26b0c6395423dc74e33">AP</a> reports, &#8220;China says &#8216;political motives&#8217; underlie the boycott effort. The Chinese describe the detention camps in Xinjiang as vocational centers.&#8221; Earlier this month, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said, “China firmly rejects the politicization of sports and opposes using human rights issues to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs,” saying an attempt at a boycott “is doomed to failure.”
On Monday, the United States announced sanctions against officials in China connected to human rights abuses in Xinjiang. The U.S. did so in conjunction with several other countries.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/us-and-allies-impose-sanctions-on-officials-in-china-over-human-rights-offenses-in-xinjiang">The Daily Wire</a> reports,
<blockquote>According to Politico, the allies’ combined effort included the European Union approving sanctions of four Chinese officials on Monday morning. The United Kingdom also imposed sanctions on four people and one entity, including the two people sanctioned by the United States. Canada also announced that it is imposing sanctions on the same four people and one entity.
China responded to the actions by the European Union by adding sanctions of their own to 10 European persons and four institutions that they claim have hurt China’s interests and “maliciously spread lies and disinformation,” as reported by The Associated Press.</blockquote>

A0E5D0A8-B3CC-421A-9C50-EC65538B5BED_1_201_a

Coalition Of Human Rights Groups Asks Airbnb To End Involvement With Beijing Olympics Over China’s Human Rights Abuses

China

Olympics

Uyghur

On Tuesday, Airbnb unveiled the &#8220;new way&#8221; it&#8217;s &#8220;fighting discrimination&#8221; on the home-sharing platform: Project Lighthouse, which is designed &#8220;to uncover, measure, and overcome discrimination&#8221; among Airbnb users and hosts.
&#8220;Our mission has always been to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere,&#8221; Airbnb&#8217;s Project Lighthouse announcement reads (full text below). &#8220;Racism, hate, and discrimination go against everything we believe in as a company and a global community. Since 2016, we’ve removed 1.3 million people from Airbnb for declining to treat others without judgment or bias — but there’s still a lot more work to be done.&#8221;
To further combat &#8220;racism, hate and discrimination&#8221; among its users and hosts, the company is rolling out Project Lighthouse, &#8220;a groundbreaking initiative we’re launching in the United States to uncover, measure, and overcome discrimination when booking or hosting on Airbnb.&#8221;
How will Airbnb &#8220;uncover, measure, and overcome&#8221; discrimination among its millions of users and hosts? In part, by collecting data that tracks how &#8220;perception&#8221; is impacting cancellations and reviews. &#8220;Discrimination is based on perception — and on Airbnb, people perceive race from things like first names and profile photos,&#8221; Airbnb explains. &#8220;Together, with civil rights organizations like Color Of Change and Upturn, we&#8217;re beginning with research to understand when and where racial discrimination happens on our platform and the effectiveness of policies that fight it.&#8221;
More details on this &#8220;perception&#8221; and &#8220;profiling&#8221; effort:
<blockquote>This project measures discrimination that’s based on perception. People often base their perception of someone’s race on their name and what they look like. So, to get these perceptions, we’ll share Airbnb profile photos and the first names associated with them with an independent partner that’s not part of Airbnb. This partner operates under a strict confidentiality agreement, so they are prohibited from sharing this information with anyone else.
The partner will look at these photos and first names and indicate their perceptions—or, what race they think the information we shared suggests. They’ll share these perceptions with a specialized team at Airbnb exclusively for anti-discrimination work. Before it’s shared, though, all the information tying perceived race back to an account is removed, including the photo, first name, and other details that could be used to find out which Airbnb account they belong to. Airbnb won’t associate perceived race with specific accounts, or target you based on this information.
We’ll use our partner’s perceptions, for example, to figure out whether the reservations of those seen as a certain race are declined more often than others, which will help us create new features and policies to address any difference. We’ve partnered with civil rights and privacy organizations to make sure we do this work in a way that’s both thoughtful and respectful of everyone’s privacy.</blockquote>
In its Project Lighthouse announcement, Airbnb addresses the question of why it is focusing on race when other forms of discrimination exist. &#8220;We stand against all types of discrimination — not just racial discrimination, and not just discrimination against one specific community,&#8221; the platform explains. &#8220;We’re committed to working against discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and familial status — which are all issues that impact hosts and guests around the world. This is one part of a larger fight.&#8221;
Below is the full text of Airbnb&#8217;s announcement of the &#8220;<a href="https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/a-new-way-were-fighting-discrimination-on-airbnb-201">new way we&#8217;re fighting discrimination on Airbnb</a>&#8220;:
<blockquote>Introducing Project Lighthouse to uncover, measure, and overcome discrimination.
Our mission has always been to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere. Racism, hate, and discrimination go against everything we believe in as a company and a global community. Since 2016, we’ve removed 1.3 million people from Airbnb for declining to treat others without judgment or bias—but there’s still a lot more work to be done.
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
An important step in our continued fight against discrimination is understanding when and how it happens. So we’d like to tell you about Project Lighthouse, a groundbreaking initiative we’re launching in the United States to uncover, measure, and overcome discrimination when booking or hosting on Airbnb.
We know you might have questions about Project Lighthouse and what it means for you, and we’ve done our best to answer them here.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
How will Project Lighthouse work? 
Discrimination is based on perception—and on Airbnb, people perceive race from things like first names and profile photos. Together, with civil rights organizations like <a href="https://colorofchange.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Color Of Change</a> and <a href="https://www.upturn.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Upturn</a>, we&#8217;re beginning with research to understand when and where racial discrimination happens on our platform and the effectiveness of policies that fight it.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
How did Airbnb develop Project Lighthouse? 
We’ve developed Project Lighthouse with input from leading civil rights groups and privacy organizations, including <a href="https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Asian Americans Advancing Justice &#8211; AAJC</a>, <a href="https://cdt.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Center for Democracy &amp; Technology</a>, <a href="https://colorofchange.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Color Of Change</a>, <a href="https://civilrights.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Leadership Conference on Civil &amp; Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://lulac.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">LULAC</a>, the <a href="https://www.naacp.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NAACP</a>, <a href="https://nationalactionnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Action Network</a>, and <a href="https://www.upturn.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Upturn</a>, to make sure we do this important work in a way that’s both thoughtful and respectful of everyone’s privacy.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
Who is eligible to participate? 
At this time, the project will be limited to U.S.-based hosts and guests.
When will Project Lighthouse launch? 
The project launched June 30, along with more details about how the process works and how you can opt out.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
How does Airbnb want to use my information? 
This project measures discrimination that’s based on perception. People often base their perception of someone’s race on their name and what they look like. So, to get these perceptions, we’ll share Airbnb profile photos and the first names associated with them with an independent partner that’s not part of Airbnb. This partner operates under a strict confidentiality agreement, so they are prohibited from sharing this information with anyone else.
The partner will look at these photos and first names and indicate their perceptions—or, what race they think the information we shared suggests. They’ll share these perceptions with a specialized team at Airbnb exclusively for anti-discrimination work. Before it’s shared, though, all the information tying perceived race back to an account is removed, including the photo, first name, and other details that could be used to find out which Airbnb account they belong to. Airbnb won’t associate perceived race with specific accounts, or target you based on this information.
We’ll use our partner’s perceptions, for example, to figure out whether the reservations of those seen as a certain race are declined more often than others, which will help us create new features and policies to address any difference. We’ve partnered with civil rights and privacy organizations to make sure we do this work in a way that’s both thoughtful and respectful of everyone’s privacy.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
Will Airbnb be using an algorithm, facial recognition technology, or machine learning? 
No. We believe the best way to determine perceived race information is using human perception and not machine learning. The use of algorithms, facial recognition technology, or machine learning for something as sensitive as race would require careful consideration and input from, among others, civil rights and privacy organizations. Were we to consider doing so, we would seek their guidance and support in addition to making sure you are informed.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
Profile photos aren’t shown until a booking is confirmed. Why are you planning to use profile photos in research? 
While profile photos have been removed during the initial booking process, we’re interested in understanding how profile photos might impact other aspects of users’ interactions on the platform with regards to things like cancellations or reviews.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
How will Airbnb respect my privacy? 
Before we analyze perceived race information, all of the information is separated from your profile—that means it’s not tied back to any specific Airbnb account. We won’t use this information to change anyone’s individual experience as a host or guest on Airbnb, and we won’t use this information other than for anti-discrimination work or use it in any marketing or advertising. We’ll analyze patterns on a larger scale.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
Why is Airbnb announcing Project Lighthouse now? 
We’ve worked on this project for nearly two years and planned to launch this initiative later in 2020. But recent events in the U.S. have compelled us to move more quickly. W hile Airbnb already investigates self-reported, individual instances of discrimination, we don’t currently have a way to measure larger trends and patterns related to discrimination that might be happening across Airbnb. Those individual instances of discrimination may be the symptom of a bigger systemic problem, and we want to fight both.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
What happens if Airbnb uncovers inequities? 
Project Lighthouse is one part of our ongoing work to prevent and respond to discrimination on Airbnb. Any insights will be used to help develop new features and policies that create a more equitable experience on our platform and deliver on our enduring mission of creating greater belonging.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
Other types of discrimination exist. Why is Airbnb focusing on race? 
We stand against all types of discrimination—not just racial discrimination, and not just discrimination against one specific community. We’re committed to working against discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and familial status—which are all issues that impact hosts and guests around the world. This is one part of a larger fight.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
How can I opt out of Project Lighthouse? 
You can change your opt-out preferences at any time <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/account-settings/privacy-and-sharing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in your privacy and sharing settings</a>—and if you opt out, we’ll remove your information from future studies. But please keep in mind that by including your information in this effort, you’re helping us create a new benchmark to uncover, measure, and fight discrimination on Airbnb. Before we analyze perceived race information, all of the information is separated from your profile—that means it is not tied back to your specific Airbnb account.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
What is Airbnb doing to help other companies fight discrimination? 
Technology companies have a tremendous responsibility to provide an experience that’s equitable for everyone. We want Project Lighthouse to have an impact beyond Airbnb, so we’re sharing the methodology behind it in a <a href="https://news.airbnb.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/Project-Lighthouse-Airbnb-2020-06-12.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">publicly available technical paper</a>. We hope the paper will serve as a blueprint for other companies, and that it can be a starting point for further innovations that rigorously measure discrimination while upholding user privacy. 

What has Airbnb done so far to address discrimination? 
In the last few years, we’ve made several changes to Airbnb to help fight discrimination, including:
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
<ul>
<li>Our nondiscrimination policy: Everyone who uses Airbnb must agree to our <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1523/general-questions-about-the-airbnb-community-commitment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Community Commitment</a> and <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1405/airbnbs-nondiscrimination-policy-our-commitment-to-inclusion-and-respect" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nondiscrimination policy</a>. If you’ve experienced discrimination, we’ll investigate the issue, take action, and if needed, <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1433/how-do-i-report-discrimination-to-airbnb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">help you</a> find another place to stay.</li>
<li>Profile photo protections: We all have bias. But companies like Airbnb can do more to create tools that help prevent people from making biased decisions. That’s why guests’ profile photos aren’t displayed to hosts until after a booking is confirmed, which encourages more objective decision making by hosts.</li>
<li>Objective bookings: <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/523/what-is-instant-book" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instant Book</a> allows a listing to be booked immediately, making the process easier for hosts and ensuring the process is objective for guests. Millions of listings can be booked this way, with more being added all the time.</li>
<li>A dedicated anti-discrimination team: Airbnb has a specialized team dedicated to making changes to our platform that help prevent and address discrimination, including development of initiatives like Project Lighthouse and profile photo protections.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
Project Lighthouse alone won’t end discrimination on our platform, but it’s an important step that can help us identify discrimination that would otherwise go undetected. And it’s just one of many initiatives we’re working on to make Airbnb more fair for everyone.
Thank you for being a member of our community and for working with us to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere.
&nbsp;
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<div class="_6yye0b">
<div>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers with the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.
</div>
</div>
</div>

Airbnb Launches New Effort To ‘Uncover’ Discrimination Among Its Users, Hosts

Race

Would you pay for the experience of interviewing for a job that doesn’t exist? It appears some may, and such an experience can be yours for about $4,600.
Airbnb now offers “experiences,” where visitors can pay a local for “an activity that goes beyond the typical tour or class, designed and led by locals all over the world,” according to the website. Examples include a farm stay in Indiana Amish country and a “Galapagos safari,” where tourists can visit multiple islands and enjoy local food.
In Seattle, former Amazon executive Nick Dimitrov offers his own one-of-a-kind experience: <a href="https://www.airbnb.co.uk/experiences/277118?irgwc=1&amp;irclid=zAgWRcT9uxyJWYpwUx0Mo38zUklVNNQxyQbE0Q0&amp;ircid=4560&amp;c=Skimbit%2C%20Ltd._290446_&amp;sharedid=&amp;af=126295512">a mock Amazon interview</a>.
Dimitrov’s bio on the listing states that he co-founded Amazon Game Studios in 2013 and that since then, Amazon has “acquired [streaming platform] Twitch and invested hundreds of millions of dollars in gaming.”
“I was also an Amazon Bar Raiser with 350+ interviews. Bar Raisers are esteemed Amazonians who determine whether the company should hire a job candidate or not,” the bio continues. “Lastly, I was a New-hire Orientation Host who inculcates new hires in the Amazon culture, during their first day on the job.”
Dimitrov recommends taking a separate experience, the “Prepare For The Amazon.com Interview” experience before they take the “Simulate The Amazon.com Interview Loop.”
The <a href="https://www.airbnb.co.uk/experiences/241942?irgwc=1&amp;irclid=zAgWRcT9uxyJWYpwUx0Mo38zUklVNY1VyQbE0Q0&amp;ircid=4560&amp;c=Skimbit%2C%20Ltd._290446_&amp;sharedid=&amp;af=126295512">preparation experience</a> costs about $800 for eight hours worth of preparation, but “availability for this experience is rare,” according to the Airbnb listing.
The actual “experience” lasts five hours and includes an “interview with former Amazon employees, matched to the candidate’s job level and function.” After the interview, “candidates” are able to watch the interviewers “deliberate and decide whether to ‘hire’ the candidate based on Amazon’s Leadership Principles and functional competencies.”
Candidates whom the interviewers decide not to “hire” are given instruction on how to improve their interview in order to get hired.
Prospective interviewees are asked to complete the “Inside Amazon’s Interview: Workshop” experience before the mock-interview experience. Interviewees are also told to bring a laptop or tablet and to “Write out your top 20 achievements (preferably in the SOAR framework)” and “Choose at least two live Amazon job reqs that you’re interested in” prior to the experience.
Just one person has left a review for the experience. “Seth” gave the mock interview five stars and called the experience “intense” in June 2018.
“I had chosen to ‘interview’ for an open TPM position in the AWS group,” Seth wrote. “I interviewed with four current Amazon employees who Nick had selected based on my experience and background. Subsequently after the interview I watched their debriefing as they deliberated if I should be hired. I learned a lot, seeing myself through alternate perspectives and feel this simulation helped prepare me to interview at Amazon.”
Business Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-host-offers-mock-interviews-for-amazon-job-2019-8">explained</a> that interviewing for Amazon is unlike interviewing for other companies.
“Amazon is known for its tough interviews,” the outlet reported. “CEO Jeff Bezos <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/50661/inside-mind-jeff-bezos">once said</a> that he’d rather interview 50 people and not hire anyone than hire the wrong person, and this means asking tricky questions to find the best candidates.”
Remember, at the end of all of this, you don’t actually end up with a job at Amazon, no matter how well you did in the interview.

Amazon

Former Amazon Executive Giving 5-Hour Mock Interviews — At A Cost Of $4,600

On Tuesday, Airbnb announced that it would end its policy prohibiting listings owned by Jews in Judea and Samaria from being listed on their platform.
Airbnb implemented the policy in November because they claimed that Jewish settlements in the West Bank &#8220;are at the core of the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians.&#8221;
&#8220;We know that people will disagree with this decision and appreciate their perspective. This is a controversial issue,&#8221; Airbnb said, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/39435/airbnb-reverses-decision-remove-west-bank-listings-paul-bois">reported</a> The Daily Wire. &#8220;There are many strong views as it relates to lands that have been the subject of historic and intense disputes between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank.&#8221;&#8203;
But now Airbnb is reversing the policy after a court settlement between the company and a dozen American Jewish plaintiffs, reported the <a href="https://jewishjournal.com/news/nation/296627/airbnb-will-cancel-its-ban-on-west-bank-settlement-listings/">Jewish Journal</a>.&#8203;
&#8220;Airbnb takes no position on the Host-Plaintiffs&#8217; claims, or others&#8217; claims, to legal title to the properties on which the accommodations are located,&#8221; the court settlement reads. &#8220;All listings for accommodations located in the Affected Region [the West Bank] will at all times be permitted on its platform, subject to applicable laws, rules, and regulations.&#8221;
The plaintiff&#8217;s attorney, Robert Tolchin, said Airbnb was not permitted to &#8220;provide services to selected religious group to engineer who it thinks should be allowed to live where.&#8221;
&#8220;We are gratified that the legal process has worked and that as a result of the case we filed Airbnb came to recognize the mistake it had made and changed their policy,&#8221; Tolchin added.
According to the Jewish Journal, although Airbnb had this policy, it was never actually enforced. 
In a <a href="https://press.airbnb.com/update-listings-disputed-regions/">press release</a>, Airbnb said although they would not move forward with removing Jewish-owned listings in the West Bank, they would &#8220;take no profits from this activity in the region.&#8221;&#8203;
&#8220;We understand the complexity of the issue that was addressed in our previous policy announcement, and we will continue to allow listings throughout all of the West Bank, but Airbnb will take no profits from this activity in the region,&#8221; the press release said. &#8220;Any profits generated for Airbnb by any Airbnb host activity in the entire West Bank will be donated to non-profit organizations dedicated to humanitarian aid that serve people in different parts of the world.&#8221;
Airbnb added that the company &#8220;has always opposed&#8221; the Boycott Divest and Sanction movement.
&#8220;Airbnb has never boycotted Israel, Israeli businesses, or the more than 20,000 Israeli hosts who are active on the Airbnb platform,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;We have always sought to bring people together and will continue to work with our community to achieve this goal.&#8221;
Airbnb also said that they will be evaluating other areas around the world with disputed territories. 
Daily Wire Editor-In-Chief Ben Shapiro had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/38519/airbnb-goes-anti-semitic-targets-jewish-businesses-ben-shapiro">pointed out</a> how discriminatory the policy was. 
<blockquote>
This is the sheerest form of corporate anti-Semitism in recent memory. Not only did AirBNB specifically target &#8220;Israeli settlements,&#8221; according to Professor Eugene Kontorovich of George Mason Law, they&#8217;ve announced that they will only disallow listings in Israeli settlements when those listings are owned by Jews. In other words, if a Jew owns an apartment in East Jerusalem, that won&#8217;t be allowed for listing; if an Arab owns an apartment in the same neighborhood, it&#8217;s fine for listing.&#8203;
This is absurd. As Dr. Michael Oren points out, AirBNB lists apartments in Turkish-occupied Cyprus, the Moroccan-occupied Sahara, Chinese-occupied Tibet and Russian-occupied Crimea. Not only that, but AirBNB allows listings in a wide variety of countries without any democratic rights and with wildly discriminatory policies.
Judea and Samaria are disputed territories, not &#8220;occupied&#8221; territories. Israel controls those territories thanks to repeated refusal by Arab states that repeatedly declared war on Israel to accept any peace deal. Radical Muslim anti-Semites and their left-wing apologists insist not only that these territories be turned over to the terrorist Palestinian Authority for control, but that Jews evacuate those territories entirely, making them Judenrein. Remember, this AirBNB policy isn&#8217;t targeting the Israeli government &#8212; it&#8217;s targeting Jews themselves for living in areas under international dispute.
</blockquote>

Airbnb Reverses Ban On Jewish West Bank Listings, Says Company Always Opposed BDS

Israel

Menu