airbnb not usable while traveling, mobile and app inacceptabe

[Daniel33]

Hi,

I'm an airbnb host since two years. Now I am travelling and I do not always have the possibility to use my laptop. As I want to manage my reservations from the dates when I come back I need access to my account - and in the beginning I also wanted to book some airbnbs while on the way, but...

- The airbnb site is unusable on the mobile phone. The site covers the page every few seconds with "log in with facebook", "download the app" etc.. This is not only very annoying but in fact makes the page absolutely useless on mobile phones as you always have to close the covering add which then simply appears again after a short while.

- The airbnb app asks for all and every rights on my phone. It is not possible to install it without giving it access to all of my private data (like phone book etc.). I definitively do not want to give access to airbnb to that. The hunger for private information of airbnb is far beyond anything one might consider acceptable, in fact it is impertinent. I'd never install an app of any company that is so extremely indiscreet and snoopy about things that are absolutely none of their business.

So I have not booked one single airbnb stay during all my trip, which is not really fatal, as there are hotels and hostels etc. available for example at booking.com who's site I can use on the phone even without logging in and without using their app.

Fatal is, that for sure that I am not the only one who doesn't want to let a company sniff all of his/her private life just to book a room.

Fatal is, that I cannot manage my offers without the possibility to use a desktop or laptop computer that allows to browse in a normal way (and to have a private instance of the browser to prevent airbnb from following me thru all the web...).

I would like to hear from other airbnb hosts or users what they think about arbnb's aggressive pushing to give facebook account/download the pervert app and how you manage your account or book rooms while you are travelling.a

Daniel

(I'll read and answer, but please allow me some time, as I can do it only when using the laptop...)

[Marit-Anne0]

You could bring your laptop on your travels I suppose ?  I do.  But I have also sold my soul to airbnb and downloaded the app :)) as I need the push notifications for immediate response when my guests need me.  

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

The company has a mobile application because their website is too heavy for dynamic optimization.  This is why it is unreadable on a mobile phone.  The desktop version you are enjoying, is absolutely snooping just as much as the mobile app is asking to do.  They heavily use cookies on the website and keep track of all activities to help invite you to use Airbnb more.  Your desktop version is not private. You can download the app while you are traveling and delete it once you are home.  The access to your contacts is to best utilize your text, phone, and messaging services effectively and with minimal interruptions.  Not sure why you care about the other items, it's actually asking for very little access, but maybe you object to the camera and photos?  That's for you to be able to upload pictures to the Airbnb platform if necessary.  But, hey, maybe you are super private and having Airbnb know where you are (location and wifi access) and who you have listed in your phone contacts is just too much.  Considering how much information you've given the website, I'm not sure you are protecting yourself in anyway, even in stealth mode.  

Personally, Airbnb is based on a standard of trust.  Strangers coming into your home or staying in a bed known only to you through pictures takes faith.  I'm not afraid in any way that Airbnb is going to abuse my trust in them by using the mobile app.  The request to log in with FB is annoying, but you don't have to link your accounts.  And you can unlink them at any time.  As a host and as a traveler, I'm sure that my information is safe - my phone number, address, credit card, banking information - and that Airbnb will do what it needs to mitigate any opportunities to expose me or my personal information. For someone who is known for "artistic nude photos, particularly simple, natural and sensual photography" where you and your work are all over the internet (took me less than 30 seconds to find you), I'm not really seeing what the issue is with exposure via the mobile app.  I trust it and I trust Airbnb.  

[David126]

About 10 seconds in my case...

I do not know how secure AirBnB systems are, I am not aware of any breach, but this maybe a question of when.

Hopefully they are better at security than some other IT issues, this forum strikes me as very flaky.

I have seen many complaints about the App, I have it but use it as little as possible. More for emergency.

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

Use it constantly along with my desktop.  They are both flakey but mostly because of the way they roll out changes.  They are clearly an Agile company and, is the case, are totally okay with bugs with a roll out because it can be fixed with the next push.  It's not my favorite way of coding, it makes everything seem unstable, but it really is not.  I've noted the roll-backs too when things are really upended.  Problem is that Airbnb isn't communicating these issues - like on a forum where known problems can be listed and hosts can review.  The mobile Android platform actually has some superior performance compared to the website because it is so light.  Push notifications and site updates happen more frequently on mobile.