AirBnB modified my message adding (PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN)

[Nancy1]

A guest asked me the square footage of our room.  I replied  with

The square footage of the room and bathroom are ~216 (12x18) and ~64 (8x8) respectively

Which AirBnB WITHOUT WARNING ME turned into

The square footage of the room and bathroom are ~(PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN)) and ~64 (8x8) respectively.

I do not like having my messages modified by AirBnB.  Especially without a warning.

Are their programmers so lame, that cannot figure out what I wrote it not a phone number?  Are are they so sure of themselves they make this determination with checking with the author?

I have no idea what the guest thought.

[Sab-And-Vas0]

Hey Nancy,

I am sure there are a significant number of guests and perhaps hosts who try to share their phone numbers, and once they understand it will be blocked by airbnb, they do so in creative ways which is why airbnb blocked the measurements. I recommend writing out the measurements as a mix of words and numbers, even though it would take longer, or even posting it on your listing if it is something you really want guests to know. If airbnb blocked the numbers on your listing you could then contact them and ask them to fix it, rather than contacting them each time the measurements are blocked in a guest message.

Unfortunately this is frustrating, but hope it works out!

[Nancy1]

I understand why they are blocking it, but common courtesy and competent programming demands that they warn you. Hosts might put all kinds of numbers in a message. Gate access code? Lock combination? Address of a restaurant? Flight numbers? Highway exit numbers?

I would fire a programmer who simply changed the contents of a message without warning.

"It appears you are including a phone number in your message. AirBnB policy prohibits this. If you continue, the following text will be convert to..."

They may be worth billions, but their programming is very sub-standard.

[Nancy1]

Also, a problem with your proposed solution is that there is no way to test it.  The only test is to post the message and check it to see if it was modified.  Rinse.  Repeat.  And whatever you do, a new version of the AirBnB code might work-around your work-around.

[Sab-And-Vas0]

Again, very frustrating-- I agree that they should have some kind of warning when you attempt to post highlighting what will be blocked so it can be phrased differently. If the measurements are really important for your guests to know, call airbnb. On the bright side, once someone books phone numbers, flight numbers, addresses and other previously blocked info is free to be posted.

[Kathy53]

not in my expereince, I'm trying desperately to get phone numbers of various local restaurants and shops where my guest's camera may have been handed in after they left it in a public place - and I can't send them the numbers. Always comes up with PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN - and this is after they booked, and stayed at our place