Building on a policy that the company said has been in place since the Charlottesville protests back in 2017, Airbnb said it will take additional steps to beef up community protections for the DC metro area ahead of the presidential inauguration.
Airbnb already removes people from the platform who are associated with violent hate groups ahead of specific events, the company said.
And ahead of the inauguration, the company said it would use a seven-step plan to ensure that the DC metro-area isn’t overwhelmed with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, or “western chauvinists.”
Airbnb said it would ban individuals identified as involved in criminal activity around the Capitol at last week’s riot. “When we learn through media or law enforcement sources the names of individuals confirmed to have been responsible for the violent criminal activity at the United States Capitol on January 6, we investigate whether the named individuals have an account on Airbnb,” the company said. “This includes cross-referencing the January 6 arrest logs of D.C. Metro Police. If the individuals have an Airbnb account, we take action, which includes banning them from using Airbnb.”
That’s in addition to another sweep of existing reservations at locations around the Capitol in the days leading up to the inauguration to ensure that no one associated with hate groups slips through its dragnet.
The company will also tighten up booking requirements, with additional identity verification measures and other security checks to ensure that background checks are up-to-date.
As final steps, the company said that it is communicating with booking guests to inform them that if they’re bringing people who are associated with hate groups then they could face legal action from Airbnb. Hosts are also being told by the company that if they suspect anything about individuals staying on their properties that they should contact the company’s Urgent Safety Line.
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