December 17th 2024.
Airbnb is taking steps to address the issue of unauthorized and disruptive parties on its platform. The company has announced that it will be implementing machine learning technology to identify high-risk bookings and prevent those users from booking houses.
This move is part of Airbnb's ongoing efforts to crack down on parties that have caused issues for both hosts and communities. While the technology will be rolled out globally, the company is initially focusing on countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Puerto Rico, Spain, and New Zealand.
As part of these new measures, users will be prohibited from booking one to three-night stays, and guests booking an entire home will be required to agree not to use the property for party purposes. In 2020, Airbnb blocked 74,000 high-risk bookings, with 33,000 of those coming from the United States alone.
These efforts to prevent parties on the platform have been in place since 2019, and the company has since added additional restrictions due to the ongoing pandemic. According to a news release from Airbnb, these initiatives are meant to provide reassurance for hosts who list their homes on the site.
Tara Brunch, global head of Operations for Airbnb, said, "While issues are rare, we want to do our part to help reduce the risk of unauthorized and disruptive parties. Airbnb is committed to supporting hosts and the communities they live in, and we hope these defenses allow guests, hosts, and neighbors to celebrate the holiday with added reassurance."
While Airbnb has been praised for providing budget-friendly accommodations, it has also faced criticism for negatively impacting the housing crisis in America. However, there are larger issues at play that have led to a shift in the company's reputation.
According to NerdWallet staff writer Sam Kemmis, greed, lack of competition, and poor product management have corrupted the initial promise of Airbnb as a budget-friendly alternative to hotels. This has been compounded by a 2021 report from Bloomberg, which revealed that the platform spent an average of $50 million on payouts to hosts and guests, including legal settlements and damages to homes listed on the platform.
The catalyst for the change in Airbnb's party policy was a tragic incident that occurred on Halloween 2019. Gunmen opened fire at a multimillion-dollar home in Orinda, California, killing five people. The party attendees and organizers were mostly Black, and the media's coverage of the story was heavily criticized.
Cynthia Taylor, the mother of one of the victims, spoke out against Airbnb, saying, "They need to be held accountable for what happened. My son's life was taken away at a property they allowed to keep renting on their service after multiple complaints." Her sentiments were echoed by Jesse Danoff, a lawyer for the victims' families, who stated that Airbnb should have taken action long before the tragic event occurred.
Cheryl Sudduth, a resident of the Bay Area and the commissioner of the Racial Justice Oversight Body, pointed out the racial bias in the media's coverage of the incident. "If her name was Alison instead of Tiyon, if his name was Michael instead of Omar, if these children were white, or if it was one of your kids, would you still be OK with this coverage?" Sudduth said. "I guarantee the answer is not yes."
She continued, "People see a white child as a victim, but a Black child is seen as part of the circumstances. People say, 'What do you think happens when you have a party with more than a few of you?'" These comments highlight the systemic issues that are not only present in Airbnb's policies but also in society as a whole.
In conclusion, Airbnb's use of machine learning to prevent high-risk bookings is a step in the right direction towards addressing the issue of unauthorized and disruptive parties on its platform. However, there are larger issues at play that need to be addressed, such as systemic racism and the company's impact on the housing crisis. It is important for Airbnb to continue to listen to feedback and make necessary changes to create a safer and more inclusive platform for all users.
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