Post by High Priestess on Sept 24, 2019 17:44:56 GMT
There have been many court cases around the USA where Airbnb argues that it should not have to police its own listings, because of the Communications Decency Act and the First amendment rights and other protections it claims to have over its content. It essentially argues it cannot be responsible for third party content on its site. This is the argument Craigslist made successfully to keep from being held responsible for content on its site.
For instance see this post about one such case
globalhosting.freeforums.net/thread/5846/airbnb-sues-boston-over-regulations
It should be pointed out, that this argument that Airbnb brings to court in its defense, can only stand if Airbnb follows its own Terms of Service and does not meddle in or try to run host's businesses. Airbnb TOS state that the host, not Airbnb, run the host's business, and that this be true is vitally important in order for Airbnb to remain protected by the Communications Decency act and other regulations that exempt it from being legally responsible for everything on its site. Once Airbnb starts meddling in host's buiness, trying to run our business, overturning cancellation policies, allowing guest to cancel and get a full refund in violation of cancellation policy, etc, then Airbnb is in violation of their own TOS but puts themselves at risk of being protected by the very federal regulations that they seek to use in court to make themselves immune from responsibility for content on their site. They can't have it both ways.
Use this as an argument the next time some customer service agent insists on overruling your cancellation policy or your own business rules.
For instance see this post about one such case
globalhosting.freeforums.net/thread/5846/airbnb-sues-boston-over-regulations
It should be pointed out, that this argument that Airbnb brings to court in its defense, can only stand if Airbnb follows its own Terms of Service and does not meddle in or try to run host's businesses. Airbnb TOS state that the host, not Airbnb, run the host's business, and that this be true is vitally important in order for Airbnb to remain protected by the Communications Decency act and other regulations that exempt it from being legally responsible for everything on its site. Once Airbnb starts meddling in host's buiness, trying to run our business, overturning cancellation policies, allowing guest to cancel and get a full refund in violation of cancellation policy, etc, then Airbnb is in violation of their own TOS but puts themselves at risk of being protected by the very federal regulations that they seek to use in court to make themselves immune from responsibility for content on their site. They can't have it both ways.
Use this as an argument the next time some customer service agent insists on overruling your cancellation policy or your own business rules.