• surfrock66@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I’m just not seeing a smoking gun here for some nefarious evil. Seems she did a lot of work on real areas of concern, seeking to help consult with the company on issues that they need to address.
    https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2023/10/02/feinsteins-successor-consulted-for-uber-airbnb-00119555

    Butler joined Airbnb as head of public policy for North America after the company’s initial racial discrimination scandal had largely abated, but during her tenure the company sought to address concerns about parties at Airbnb rentals and the company’s effects on housing affordability, the pandemic’s effect on tourism and local governments’ efforts to collect taxes from the business.

    — In 2021, Butler praised the Biden administration’s opening offer for what became the bipartisan infrastructure bill and Inflation Reduction Act on Airbnb’s behalf, urging congressional leadership to enact a “robust” package to expand rural broadband access. Airbnb also had to weather calls to drop its sponsorship of the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, and disclosures show the company lobbied on antitrust, small business, and Section 230 while Butler was there.

    • purahna
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      1 year ago

      If you don’t think going to bat for AirBNB in any capacity whatsoever is a smoking gun for nefarious evil, we’re just not going to see eye to eye here.