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Krueger Statement on Use of Airbnb for Floating Brothels

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Re: Krueger Statement on Use of Airbnb for Floating Brothels

#2
From the press release:

"Prostitution wasn't really at the top of our minds when we passed the 2010 law helping NYC enforce against illegal short-term rentals, but in hindsight it seems kind of obvious."

You have to admit, I think the enterprising minds here at HN also failed to foresee this.

Re: Krueger Statement on Use of Airbnb for Floating Brothels

#3
post #2

From the press release: "Prostitution wasn't really at the top of our minds when we passed the 2010 law helping NYC enforce against illegal short-term rentals, but in hindsight it seems kind of obvious." You have to admit, I think the enterprising minds here at HN also failed to foresee this.

The retroactive obviousness of it does seem quite incredible. People get hotel rooms to do things they don't want to do at home. AirBnB is a hotel substitute.

I wonder if AirBnB internally had some risk assessment of this.

Re: Krueger Statement on Use of Airbnb for Floating Brothels

#5
post #2

From the press release: "Prostitution wasn't really at the top of our minds when we passed the 2010 law helping NYC enforce against illegal short-term rentals, but in hindsight it seems kind of obvious." You have to admit, I think the enterprising minds here at HN also failed to foresee this.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2801400 is a great thread in many ways considering AirBnB's recent press.

I think "potential illegal uses" is a pretty common argument against short-term rentals, and prostitution isn't exactly a non-obvious one. It's just generally a bit easier on the neighbors than, for example, crazy parties or drug houses, which are both commonly-touted (and valid) arguments against short-term rentals.

Re: Krueger Statement on Use of Airbnb for Floating Brothels

#10
> (underlined) Today it's a prostitution ring, tomorrow it could be an illegal gambling ring, and maybe next week it could be a drug operation.

This is textbook 'slippery slope' fallacy. https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/slippery-slope You said that if we allow A to happen, then Z will eventually happen too, therefore A should not happen.

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