Re:How Estimates of the Gig Economy Went Wrong
by alkonaut on Wednesday January 09, 2019 @10:47AM
(#18865577)
Yes, the difference I think is that AirBnB has grown so big it actually changed neighborhoods and accomodation markets in a way we didn't see before. The question becomes the same as for Uber in some sense: once a single company professionally rents out all the flats in a highrise building, what makes them different from a hotel and why do they get to dodge expensive regulations and inspections that hotels need? Their business model is being an apartment hotel and not admitting it.
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Re:How Estimates of the Gig Economy Went Wrong
by ryanwaggoner on Wednesday January 09, 2019 @11:59AM
(#18866339)
But again, Airbnb doesn’t own or rent those units, or choose to put them on the market. Should they only allow a certain percentage of units in a particular building or neighborhood to be rented out? How is that fair to marginal apartment owner who also wants to rent their space out?
I think Airbnb could do a better job of working with cities to ensure that negative externalities don’t poison the well. But I don’t hold them responsible for the tsunami of demand on both sides of this market. It seems pretty clear that people really, really want this, and I don’t think the right answer is “too bad, stay in an overpriced chain hotel”
Re:How Estimates of the Gig Economy Went Wrong
by alkonaut on Wednesday January 09, 2019 @12:31PM
(#18866683)
AirBnB rents those units out if they have a nontrivial gain from it. That they merely provide the service doesn’t seem important. Same with Uber - doesn’t matter who owns th cars or whether they claim to not employ anyone. They are a large taxi operator and the drivers should have employee benefits (as was ruled in many places already).