Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has joined Airbnb, where he will create an stronger anti-discrimination policy for the home-sharing business, the company’s CEO announced Wednesday.
Airbnb has been dogged by controversy amid reports that some hosts on its platform prevented people of certain races and ethnicities from renting their homes. Critics of the company have argued that it allowed hosts to more easily discriminate against those who could otherwise use their services.
The company recently vowed to complete an internal review to fight bias and discrimination. While the company already has an anti-discrimination policy in place, CEO Brian Chesky wrote that, with Holder’s help, it can formulate a much stronger one.
Holder departed as attorney general last year and rejoined his law firm, Covington & Burling.
I guarantee this is really about lobbying municipalities to stop blocking the service for avoiding hotel taxes and regulation.
I disagree. There have been some really outlandish cases recently of unapologetic racism toward minority Airbnb customers that have made the national news. They’ve been desperately trying to get out in front of it only to have one case after another come to light. Airbnb has a real problem on their hands and I commend them for trying to deal with it.
Airbnb? What would they want with Holder, one of our worst AG’s ever? They’re not employing narco death squads to slaughter Colombian peasants are they?
Ex-Bush White House Republicans go to work for Defense Contractors or K-Street Lobbying firms.
Ex-Obama White House Democrats go to work for Silicon Valley Millennials and Venture Capital firms.
I think there’s an element of both here. I’ve read about a few instances of what appears to be blatant discrimination – and what a coup to get AG Holder to work on this, because you know he’s going to be very thorough and not leave much wiggle room for anyone (and that’s good!).
To a much smaller degree, I think there’s also likely an element of using Holder’s expertise (being the nation’s top prosecutor at one time) on the subject of different states’ and cities’ desire to regulate and tax these transactions like they would any other hotel/motel within their jurisdiction. Over the years, they’ve had big tussles in San Francisco and NYC, I’m sure you know. I feel they’ll use this opportunity to pick Holder’s brain about the topic.
While I’m not anti-Airbnb, I am more of the feeling they should be regulated accordingly based upon whichever state or city the unit exists.