http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/10/technology/daily-report-airbnbs-new-policy-to-combat-bias-by-its-rental-hosts.html 2016-09-12 14:05:15 Daily Report: Airbnb’s New Policy to Combat Bias by Its Rental Hosts The online short-term rental company released a report on discrimination and instituted new rules to tackle bias based on gender, race, age and other factors. === Silicon Valley technology companies The online short-term rental company has faced months of criticism this year over how its hosts can easily reject renters based on their gender, race, age and other factors. Airbnb has responded by hiring advisers, reviewing its site and self-flagellating over the problems. On Thursday, Airbnb took its most aggressive steps yet to combat discrimination, Why the public mea culpa? Because discrimination threatens the heart of Airbnb’s business, which is to provide accommodation to everyone, everywhere. The company now has rentals in more than 34,000 cities worldwide and has positioned itself as a replacement for hotels. If hosts pick and choose who they will, or will not, rent to, guests are likely to be turned off and personally offended. And for a fast-growing company, which is valued at $25 billion and may have aspirations to go public one day, that is a situation that cannot be tolerated.