|
|
Article: Roommate-matching web site discriminates, Ninth Circuit rules.
- Article from:
- Trial
- Article date:
- July 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 American Association for Justice, formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA®). This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Web sites that ask users specific questions to determine their housing preferences with the aim of matching them with other users are engaging in discriminatory practices under the federal Fair Housing Act, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.
Overturning a lower court decision, the appeals court found that housing Web site Roommates.com is not immune from liability under the Communications Decency Act (CDA) because it required users to input discriminatory content when seeking housing on the site. (Fair Housing Council of San Fernando Valley v. Roommates.com, 521 F.3d 1157 (9th Cir. 2008).)
Web sites must comply with [section] 3604(c) of the ...