A series of new policies aim to reduce discrimination after widespread user complaints After months of criticism over accusations of racial bias by its users, online rental marketplace Airbnb just released a new policy aimed to reduce discrimination on its platform and encourage diversity.  In a 32-page report issued after a 3-month internal review, the company has agreed to a series of measures, including a more stringent non-discrimination policy, plans to diversify the company's own workforce, and increased implicit bias training for its hosts.
One of the main complaints lodged agains the company was the use of photos on the site, which critics contend contributed to discrimination and implicit bias. The company chose to continue to use photos of users going forward, arguing they are necessary to create trust between hosts and guests, but says they will experiment with making images less prominent on the site, instead promoting user reviews to be more visible. "After thoroughly analyzing this issue, I came to believe that Airbnb guests should not be asked or required to hide behind curtains of anonymity when trying to find a place to stay," writes the report's author, Laura Murphy, a former ACLU layer whose consultancy led the company review. "Technology can bring us together and technology shouldn?t ask us to hide who we are. Instead, we should be implementing new, creative solutions to fight discrimination and promote understanding."
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