As a host, are you allowed to put a stock photo and fake name for your profile?

As a host, are you allowed to put a stock photo and fake name for your profile?

As a host, are you allowed to use a stock photo as your profile picture and a fake name to protect your real identity?

 

The listing itself would be LEGIT with accurate photos, descriptions, etc. but just the host info (name and photo) would not be accurate.

 

Does this violate airbnb's terms and would this result in a fine?

 

 

14 Replies 14
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Kat8159 Wow. Why would you think it okay to use a fake identity as a host? Would you like it if guests tried to hide their real identity? One of the basic tenets of Airbnb is that hosts and guests should be open and transparent with each other. It's a platform built on trust. What you are proposing is the opposite of that. If a guest reported that the host wasn't who they said they were, Airbnb would likely delist you.

@Sarah977 Did you get today’s nanny lecture email from Airbnb yet?

Apparently they believe hosts are unable to refrain from discrimination.

Theyre rolling out project lighthouse, and pushed out notice earlier than planned (losing face over BLM fraud?)

Its not clear to me yet, but it sounded like even guests first names would be masked prior to booking, just like profile photos. I didn’t get any sense that they would be increasing screening or vetting of guests. Hosts might just be opening their doors to ANTIFA, or human trafficking? Oops did I just accidentally expose corruption?

I didn't do this personally...I just have an acquaintance who I think did this so that's why I was asking...

I'm not sure if this person got penalized for it.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Mike323 While I don't appreciate Airbnb hiding guests' profile photos and names before a booking is confirmed, that's not in the same ballpark as creating an entirely fake profile.

And BTW, there's no such organization as Antifa. It's a fairy tale made up to rile up white nationalists. The term originated in Europe during WWII and referred to those opposing the Fascists.

Ian-And-Anne-Marie0
Level 10
Kendal, United Kingdom

@Kat8159 

The fact of the matter is, many Airbnb Hosts get their photos and listing details hijacked and repurposed regularly by fraudsters and despite these being repeatedly reported Airbnb are very slow to actually do anything about it. Is your acquaintance a fraudster? By definition, providing a fake profile photo which is intended to make the Host personally identifiable is fraud. So too is using a 'fake' name, So too is using a stock photo without paying a license fee for its use (if the photo is not 'license free').

Melodie-And-John0
Level 10
Munnsville, NY

@Kat8159 , I think there is a certain amount of risk associated with every business, I'm not sure that beginning a relationship with a customer based upon 3/4's truth is a good way to start one.  Even here, many hosts decide not to use a picture of themselves and sometimes no picture at all and that seems to me to diminish the legitimacy of contributing and participating in the free exchange of idea's.   Its really interesting to see a dangling Superhost badge with no host associated!  I feel the same way about guest non name/ no face requests and recently added that I wont accept bookings from folks that wont put a real image in their profile even if I have to wait to see it after the booking.

 

Im with @Christine615 who mentioned in another thread she didn't want guests to be surprised by what they walk into or who they are greeted by and its only fair that  goes both ways.  The sincere attempts to minimize discrimination by hiding or allowing omissions of identities can put hosts and or guests at risk, the doors threshold of our listing's is no place to try to change anyone's minds  about something even if they are as wrong as can be.   In many cases at Bearpath Lodging, the guests are more like visitors, that relationship deserves certain pre-disclosures from both parties to function safely and reliably for all.  Stay well, JR

My first experience using Airbnb was years ago when I rented an apartment in Paris. The host asked to friend me on Facebook first so she could learn a bit about me and vice versa. It was a great experience.

 

I am not a hotel. Airbnb is a booking service. Period. Withholding information isn’t part of their job.

 

Worse, with the exception of @Lizzie, Airbnb has shown no awareness  on how dangerous it’s policies can be in the US for people of color. 

And now we have to play games to circumvent the blackouts on guest information in private messages.  Think about that. A guest sends me a private message and Airbnb deletes or censors information in that message until I approve the booking blindly.

 

THIS IS LUDICROUS!

 

Airbnb needs to get out of the way.  It should spend more of its time helping hosts by shutting down all the illegal listings and fake hosts.

@Christine615 


 

"Airbnb needs to get out of the way.  It should spend more of its time helping hosts by shutting down all the illegal listings and fake hosts."


May I add to that, "and stop hiding guests' profile pics and full names until AFTER a booking is completed".          😉

Alexandra316
Level 10
Lincoln, Canada

@Kat8159The answer to your question is no, Airbnb does not care if you use your real name and profile photo to create a profile. You can change the name and picture to anything you want. 

 

Whether it's ethical or not is another matter, but they do nothing to ensure it doesn't happen. 

@Kat8159 seconding @Alexandra316 Airbnb says it "may" ask members to verify their identity and it "might" take action against a member whose identity is false, but Airbnb actually doing that would be the exception, not the rule. As a user, you can look for hosts/guests whose identify is marked as verified.

 

https://www.airbnb.com/terms

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1237/how-does-it-work-when-airbnb-verifies-your-identity

@Lisa723But even if it says the user is verified, it doesn't mean their profile info is accurate. It just means that Airbnb has their info on file. I verified my profile with ID, but I could go in today and change it to anything. Ditto my profile photo. 

@Alexandra316 true.

@Lisa723And for the record, I think it's beyond wrong. If a profile is verified, it should mean that it's accurate. Airbnb does not seem to agree. 

I also agree with you @Christine615 : I don't like the lack of profile photo. I even set it as a requirement, and people can still book with you without or with a photo of something else. I wish that Airbnb would stop trying to kneecap hosts.