Week 3

Choosing Vacation Rentals: Support Communities,
Not Illegal Occupations

What You Might Not Know:

AirBnB: Amnesty International reported in 2018, AirBnB promised to remove listings in occupied, illegal settlements in Palestine, But they’ve since done a U-turn, reversing that decision and continuing to let those properties operate.

Expedia and its subsidiaries—Hotels.com, VRBO, Travelocity, Hotwire, Orbitz, CheapTickets, CarRentals.com, and Trivago— are all part of Expedia Group Inc. The company’s chairman, Barry Diller, also owns Fox Broadcasting Company, a network known for its controversial stances on Muslims, Palestine, and liberals.

Alternatives We Choose:

HomeStay.com: Offers not just great prices, but also fully sustainable local tourism. All
the homes are the owner's residences, not businesses. No more price gauging so the
owners can pay off their mortgage.

Bed & Baths: Last but not least, try and opt for local bed & baths, or motels. These are independently owned and operated and are properly registered and offer great experiences and support local businesses.

Social Media: Keeping You Aware

Instagram, Facebook (Meta) : According to the Guardian, Meta has been documented for censoring as well as supressing pro-palestinian content. As per PRNewsWire.com They have an expected $149 billion revenue for 2024.

Snapchat: Despite staying fairly neutral, Times of Israel reported, Snapchat did aquire an Israeli company back in 2016. On Investorsnap.com their 2024 revenue outlooks at about $6.11 billion.

X/Twitter: Despite X's owner, Elon Musk initially backing Palestine and offering free Skynet to everyone in Palestine, he has since changed his stance. As of now, Al Jazeera reports X has been shadow banning pro-palestinian accounts. QZ.com reports X is on track to bring in around $2.9 billion for 2024.

TikTok: Despite being one of the main social media news outlets for the new generation. Al Jazeera reports TikTok has been known to also ban pro-palestinian accounts. They are on track to make $18.49 billion for 2024.

Don’t worry, we’ve got an alternative for you. It’s a classic, tried-and-true method—even your parents use it—it’s called going outside. Or, if that’s not your vibe, you can always try calling or messaging on IM apps. And for those looking for something different, there’s always Rumble, Telegram, and Red.