In the majority of AirBnb bookings...it really is. I've used the service 10+ times in multiple cities, countries, and continents. A 10 minute overview of the area and how to read the Wifi password is about as personal as it's ever been. Let's not overplay this narrative that people are sharing a home with you as a means to rationalize discrimination.

> Inviting someone into your home is not just a business transaction.

You might be right, but renting a place is regulated in most Western countries. And I'm pretty sure racial discrimination is against the law in most of these countries too, as much as refusing a service based on the race of the "client".