Airbnb Closed the Profile Photo Loophole, and I'm Signing More Paper Leases

[Christopher187]

I posted last week about how to view hidden profile photos by going incognito.  Unfortunately, it didn't take the idiots at Airbnb very long to close the loophole.  I can no longer view profile photos by going incognito.  

The last remaining way that I know of to view profile photos, is to see if the guest ever left a review for another host.  By viewing that host's reviews, you will be able to see a thumbnail of the guest.

Clearly this photo hiding idea is terrible and universally hated by hosts.  It doesn't seem sustainable.  If not changed, I would not be surprised to see a third party rating site emerge.  Since Airbnb won't let us have actual guest ratings, and now won't even let us see the guest, something will have to give.

We're now going to have to vet guests even harder.  We do video chats when possible and we simply won't go for shorter, lower dollar bookings.  Sometimes I'll meet the potential guest in person and show them the place.  We were already moving in this direction when we learned about how awful the host guarantee and claim process are handled.  Given the resources we have to put into vetting guests, smaller bookings are simply not feasible.  One interesting result of this: as I lean more toward longer bookings, and I have to go much further to vet a guest, it becomes less sensible to use Airbnb to book the room.  Airbnb has essentially forced me to go off their platform so that I can have meaningful communication with the guest, and multiple times now, the guest and I have simply decided to sign a paper lease instead of booking through Airbnb, saving us on fees.

[Alon1]

@Sam0 & @Nick0,

Sam, 

I can't answer for Nick, but can for myself.

A few months ago I accepted a booking by a woman who looked quite similar! (There was only the face showing in the profile photo).

I considered the Reservation Request on the basis  which I always do, namely, whether  it was suitable to my circumstances at the time. (I turn down quite a lot because they are not, it's the governing criteria of any inquiry/request) In this case, I had a gap of a day, and the woman wanted the entire flat for her family. She was polite and endearing during inquiry: she didn't divulge everything, but it turned out that she is the mother of a renown actress performing in the theatre round the corner from my home, and the whole family were coming to see the performance. 

There was also an incident on arrival, when one of the lady's other sons with a grandchild entered the flat carrying the crib which was accidently knocked against one of my mother's paintings hanging in the landing. There was an immediate aplogy and offer to pay for the damage on the spot. I held off till I had the frame and glass repaired, at which point I presented her with the bill. This was a few weeks later, and she sent me via the Resolution Centre double the money for my time and trouble!

Finally, Sam, in response to your posting this photo, I don't understand your intentions, other than to be provocative. Personally, I find your approach to this very serious issue short-sighted and irritating. 

[Sam397]

@Alon1 you and I must have different definitions of the word provocative but it doesn't matter. As for my intentions, its just a simple question, would you or anybody else accept a reservation from a person with this as her profile pic. I am not trying to trick anybody, or irritate them I am just curious if the people who say they can tell by a pic what kind of a guest someone will be if they would accept her reservation request. By the way, you didn't answer the question.

@Nick78 I wasn't trying to single you out, this was a question to all, please don't take offense and I mean no disrespect towards you.

[Alon1]

@Sam397

I believe I did answer the question on two counts:

a) informing you that I accepted a woman with a similar face (only profile showing as mentioned).

b) I considered the Reservation Request on the basis  which I always do, namely, whether  it was suitable to my circumstances at the time.

If these are not straight answers, then I'm not sure what is? Because obviously I'm informing you that I would accept a person with any photo depending on whether I'm happy with the result of my vetting, (no Instant Book for me), so content to accept a request, and the circumstances are ok for me. 

The real question is if one would accept a Guest without having the chance to view their profile at the point of contact? Based on my own experience of very few blank profiles, it always dependent as above. 

But if this is to become the norm, and given my aversion to the new rule, it may actually cause a constriction in acceptance rate, predominantly limited to those who have a track record of reviews, in which case one can also still see Guest profile photo if they have reciprocated review for preceding hosts. -- I have set the photo after booking request, but it may not get to that stage as often as before. 

In my estimation, Airbnb have just created a new 'prejudicial' situation to replace the one they perceived, whereby Guests can freely see Host profile, but not vice-versa, at the point of contact. The original model evidently worked very well in the majority of cases judging by the global expansion of the company in less than a decade. But this new rule judging by responses on CC is going to make many-many hosts very cagey to deal with new requests.

Last but not least, I believe the new rule predominantly affects live-in Hosts far more than absentees who do not have to interact on a daily basis or share facilities with Guests in their home;  as well as the salaried professional agents who care far less about rentals of properties and home that are not theirs.

[Sam397]

@Alon1 a simple yes or no would have been ok. Tell me this, what did you see in the picture that led you to believe that this lady would have been a good guest. There must have been something, was it the messy hair, her eyes, what. 

The truth is Alon that it wouldn't have mattered if you had said you would have accepted her or if you would have denied her because there is no way you can look at this picture and be able to tell if she was a famous American actress without makeup or if she is a famous American serial killer that went around picking up men and killing them. 

[Alon1]

@Sam397,

You can't have a simple YES or NO in respect of this particular woman with whom I've had no interaction! I could only answer you definitively if she contacted me to inquire about booking my listing.

It was on this basis that I gave you the only answer I could by way of the nearest comparative example of a similar looking face plus the all important detail of my vetting each and every prospective guest to see if she or he are suitable for my home and circumstances. 

I think where we completely differ that  your base of judgements is limited to your view of people as you wrote previously: 'things that a photo shows, the person's race, age, size, sex appeal, these are all things that are not supposed to factor in on whether a booking is accepted.'

My view is that a photo tells us considerably more than this break down of social categories. It crucially gives us an insight into a PERSONALITY which is augmented and dependent on interaction with that person. As mentioned I don't do IB and vet each and every prospective guest, turning down quite a lot because I deem them incompatible to me, my home and current circumstances at the time of inquiry. 

I do so, because it evidently matters more to me as a live-in host than to abentees who do not actually share their home with the Guest, and effectively have no more than a  service relationship with the Guest. 

[Emilia42]

@Alon, I think the point here is that many, many people would have decline this guest based on how she looked. They would probably assume she is a drug addict. But as you said, you recently hosted a guest who came across looking like this woman and her and her family was great guests. I think the point @Sam is trying to make is "don't judge a book by its cover."

[Francesca-and-Dave0]

Would it mean that the National Enquirer photoshopped version of Goldie Hahn?) is going to be my guest?!

I want the pictures (and the profile info and the reviews) BEFORE booking because it is a matter of honesty, trust, connection and comfort. As a host, I show you mine. If you want to stay in my home (instead of an impersonal hotel — which you can now easily book on ABB🙄, please do me the courtesy of showing me yours. It’s a mutual trust thing.

[Sam397]

@Francesca-and-Dave0

Would it mean that the National Enquirer photoshopped version of Goldie Hahn?) is going to be my guest?!

very good!!!!

[David3498]

So when you see someone in the street or meet someone new, you don't assess their state of mind based on their facial expression?

[Aleksandra101]

A friendly photo reassures me NOT to hesitate. A photo of a teen helped me ask more questions and state house rules before the booking. Another such request and follow up questions led another teen to probably book something else.  

[Alon1]

@Sam0,

A photo can tell a lot more than you suggest. And what about the old saying 'a picture tells a 1000 words'?

What I described above was dependent on two contrasting photographs. Without these profile photos, I wouldn't have had a clue what I was dealing with.

The visual is one of our human senses. To deny it at the point of contact is simply moronic.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

If discrimination is the main reason for hiding the profile photo, then why HOST PHOTOS ARE VISIBLE before booking?

Don't you think a beautiful young lady will get more bookings than a middle-aged man? We have a saying: " Lice prodaje pizze " ( face is selling pizzas)

If we are all equal then let's all be blind and clueless.

[Alon1]

@Branka-and-Silvia0

Your initial question highlights that there is no logic behind this change of policy. 

From what I gather it's an issue 'Born in the USA' and instead of its creators dealing with their own problem, they've decided to inflict & project it on the rest of the world (i.e. their global market).

re. 'Don't you think....'

       Personally, no, not in respect of choosing who I wish to Host.

       I turn down quite a lot of inquiries, but never for the reason that it's 'a middle aged man' in the hope that the next inquirer will be 'a beautiful young lady'. 

       It's all about suitability to my place and circumstances. 

[Alon1]

ps. I further believe this new policy will cause a constriction. So many Hosts on this forum oppose it. So it's very possible there will be an inclination to deal or accept only Guests with a track record. And of course as pointed out other CC posts, Hosts can still see Guest profile photos if they have made at least one reciprocal review with a previous Host. It's just a bit more cumbersome, but possible. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Alon1

I thought .... a beautiful young lady (host) will get more bookings than a middle-aged man (host)

I think men will click instinctively hehe 😉