Brian Chesky—Acknowledged being 'late' to racial discrimination on Airbnb, apologized and implemented anti-discrimination policy
In July 2016, Brian Chesky acknowledged that Airbnb was 'late to this issue' of racial discrimination on the platform, stating 'we took our eye off the ball.' In September 2016, he formally apologized ('I am sorry. I take responsibility for any pain or frustration this has caused') and announced a comprehensive anti-discrimination policy including photo reduction, instant book expansion, and community commitment.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Racial Justice | +toward | primary | +1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | +0.510 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (medium ×1) × confidence (0.68)× agency (reactive ×0.75)
Evidence (2 signals)
Formally apologized for discrimination and announced comprehensive anti-discrimination policy
On September 8, 2016, Brian Chesky published a formal apology and announced Airbnb's new anti-discrimination policy, including photo reduction, instant book expansion, and a community commitment. The policy came after months of criticism over racism and bias on the platform.
Acknowledged Airbnb was 'late' to addressing racial discrimination on platform
In a July 2016 interview, Brian Chesky acknowledged that Airbnb had been slow to address racial discrimination issues on the platform, admitting 'we took our eye off the ball on this incredibly important issue' while focusing on trust and safety.