Phys.org – Study: How new Airbnb nondiscrimination policy may be worse

January 11, 2017
The sharing economy is a booming industry, with companies such as Uber and Airbnb generating billions in value each year. Technology, combined with informal peer business practice, has made it easier than ever to call for a ride or rent a living space. However, the sharing economy hasn’t been without its share of controversy, including accounts of discrimination by Airbnb hosts against guests. As a result, Airbnb instituted a new nondiscrimation policy, which included reducing the size of guest photographs in an effort to prevent host bias. However, new research co-authored by a faculty member at Washington University in St. Louis’s Olin Business School shows that more information about guests, as opposed to less, is important in eliminating potential sharing economy bias…
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-01-airbnb-nondiscrimination-policy-worse.html