Listing description plagerism

Geri26
Level 10
Adelaide, Australia

Listing description plagerism

Looking for help please @Sarah977 or any other knowledgeable hosting folks 🙂  I have just found a new listing in my area that has directly copied and pasted at least 6 of the passages in my listing and used them as her own.  While I understand there are only so many ways to describe kitchen facilities etc, the lines visible on her opening sentence reads  exactly the same as mine with the only word change from bed-sit to townhouse.  Opening her description, I found 5 more passages that are so close to verbatim it is not funny.  I have just sent her the message below but was wondering if someone can point me in the direction of the Airbnb rules around listing copyright as the threads I can find in the forum are older and there may be something new now. Keen to know if there is any action I can take either directly or through  support team...

 

Hi XXXXX. I see that you are new to Airbnb.  I know setting up a new listing can be tricky but find it interesting that you have chosen to directly copy several descriptive passages from my listing to use as you own.  All listings have their own point of difference and guests who see verbatim copy on a new listing may think it is a scam. I have worked very hard to establish my listings, profile and guest reviews and would appreciate your cooperation in revising your listing by using your own words. Regards.

2 Replies 2
Gordon0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

I'm not sure you have a case, @Geri26. Copyright only really applies to creative work, so it wouldn't help you here and, as you've alluded to yourself, there's only so many ways to call out a kitchen!

Annoying as it is, the internet breeds this sort of stuff. 

Geri26
Level 10
Adelaide, Australia

Thanks for your reply Gordon.    I was however hoping for a link or the like to Airbnb policy regarding this issue - if she had copied my photos for example and used them as her own, how is that addressed? 

Regardless, she got a bit cranky but did change the most glaring plagiarized paragraph so a small win for me in the end. And all with me biting my tongue and not saying to her - 'Your profile and listing description is indicative of who you are as a host - yours indicates a lack of imagination and integrity' which I wanted to say sooooo much I have to mention it here to get it off my chest  - lol..... might hang onto that one in case it happens again 🙂