LOS ANGELES, Aug 24 — Hollywood actor and political activist Danny Glover joined online rental marketplace Airbnb as an adviser to engage communities of colour to help the website turn around its image of discrimination against non-white guests.

"Airbnb has had its own share of challenges in this arena,” Glover said yesterday in a post.

San Francisco-based Airbnb commissioned a report last year saying it will revamp its anti-discrimination policy.

Last month, an Airbnb host was penalised for racial discrimination under an agreement between the rental website and the California department of fair employment and housing (DFEH).

The host, who was later banned by Airbnb, had cancelled a woman’s reservation making a racist remark and was ordered to pay US$5,000 (RM21,389) in damages.

Airbnb launched a partnership with civil rights group National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) to expand its services to minority groups. — Reuters