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Popular short-term housing and vacation stay rental service Airbnb admitted it made a "mistake" in banning conservative provocateur Lauren Southern’s parents from using its service this week.
According to Southern, a far-right content creator who used to work for conservative Canadian outlet Rebel News, Airbnb alerted her parents that they were barred from renting a property for a "romantic getaway" because of their daughter’s political activity.
Airbnb had banned Southern previously and claimed it extended that ban to her parents.
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Right-wing journalist Lauren Southern was barred from entering the U.K. (Facebook/Lauren Southern)
Southern revealed the ban Tuesday on Twitter, writing, "My parents just got banned from AirBnB for being related to me. They have never booked anything for me. They do not represent me in any way. They aren't publicly political in any way."
She asked, "How is this sane in any way @Airbnb[?]" In addition to her question, Southern shared an image of the official notice that was provided to her parents after they tried to book their getaway.
It stated, "We’ve removed you from the Airbnb platform because your account is closely associated with a person who isn’t allowed to use Airbnb. This means you’ll no longer be able to book reservations on Airbnb."
It further elaborated, "For the safety of our community, we may remove accounts that are closely associated with people who aren’t allowed to use Airbnb."
The notice offered Southern’s parents options for a refund and stated they could appeal the decision.
Southern posted a subsequent tweet defending her parents, insisting they have nothing to do with political activism. She wrote, "My parents are some of the sweetest people I know. They were just planning a romantic getaway, they aren't political activists."
Southern then dinged the company, adding, "All I've learned is that if governments and corporations can't shut you up by harming you, they'll now go for your families."
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Airbnb admitted it was a mistake to ban parents of a right-wing YouTuber from using its platform recently. (AP)
The tweets gained massive attention on Twitter, with the original one being viewed by more than eight million people. It prompted "Tucker Carlson Tonight" producer Gregg Re to seek answers from the company. He corroborated Southern’s account and relayed that the company told him it reversed its decision on Wednesday.
Re tweeted, "Update: @Airbnb tells me it was a ‘mistake’ to ban Lauren's family members. Decision ‘reversed.’ They say Lauren is still banned, although the spokesman did not explain why. He says that's forthcoming in an email. Also he denied Jay Carney is targeting political dissidents."
Conservative outlet The Daily Wire confirmed the reversal as well, reporting that the company provided them with a statement, saying, "We have reinstated their accounts and apologized to them for this mistake."
Southern, however, denied it was a mistake. Following the reversal, she tweeted, "My parents never appealed the decision. They’re trying to make this look like a mistake due to bad PR. It was not. They just miscalculated how far they could go. How about the truth for a change?"
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Airbnb has a history of making business decisions in accordance with liberal politics. Fox News Digital reported in December that the company’s updated inclusivity policy banned renting out homes or rooms that have been associated with slavery in the past.
The outlet noted that Airbnb "immediately removed listings that included former slave houses and started working with experts such as historic preservation architect Jobie Hill 'to address other US-based properties and Experiences associated with slavery.'"
Airbnb has removed approximately 30 listings that included places where enslaved people used to live or work. (Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)