How to View Hidden Profile Photos

[Christopher187]

So, I'm as irritated about this as everyone else.  I learned that the profile photo is hidden using site cookies.  So, actually the person's profile photo is visible to everyone EXCEPT the host receiving the request/inquiry. 

If using Chrome, just right click on the person's name and select "Open link in incognito window".  Then you will be able to see their profile photo, if they have one.

[Mikael29]

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@Louise449 wrote:

The policy of hiding profiles and pictures is a ridulous. I had a couple of bad experiences where the potential guest was more interested in something else other than renting a room and made mention that I am like his girlfriend who likes to fight before they have sex. I was in shock. This all occurred because I had a death in the family and couldn't respond in time to his request to confirm a date to stay. Although he heard nothing from me, he still went ahead and booked and was then annoyed when I was not around. I have since  made sure that all reservations are confirmed by me before the guest is confirmed. So what happens if this guy approaches my site again and I cannot see or know who he is? I also had another situation where a female student (who told me that she was mentally ill two days after she arrived) ultimately failed all of her exams. She subsequently had a full breakdown and freaked out, shouting and cussing. I was petrified. When she went through the door, I thought it was all over until 3 police turned up at my home. Luckily for me, she had informed them also that she was mentally ill and they advised me to allow her to immediately leave. I contatced Airbnb throughout the ordeal and they never asnwered my call nor emails for 12 hours. I would never want to have this woman in my home gain. So I am really upset that the policy has changed and does not provide protection for the hosts. We need to fight this. If I cannot at least read a profile before a booking takes place, I will not be taking that guest. It's that simple. If we all take this stance, it would certainly affect Airbnb

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 I totally agree with you. 

They should hear from all the hosts that they can't expose us to an unsafe condition. All they care about is to make more money by forcing us to become a cheap motel. The philosophy of Airbnb would work only if the Host is comfortable and has a choice in the people they let into their homes. 

[Mariann4]

Thank you @Christopher187 !!

Mariann 🙂

[Philip304]

This is very unreasonable to hide the guests Photos, after 7 years and over 500 guests staying I feel like Air BnB has made a rather silly mistake regarding Hosts security. this is my small home and I should be able to see who wants to stay. Actually shutting it down until things change

[Mikael29]

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@Philip304 wrote:

This is very unreasonable to hide the guests Photos, after 7 years and over 500 guests staying I feel like Air BnB has made a rather silly mistake regarding Hosts security. this is my small home and I should be able to see who wants to stay. Actually shutting it down until things change

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Philip, I totally agree and support what you do. I just noticed it this morning after rejecting some guests for not having any picture (not knowing it is Airbnb's doing)

It is ridiculous to expect us to let in people to our homes without seeing the picture.  Sound like cheap motels is what they are promoting, throw the money at them and get in. 

[Lyndsey2]

Excellent point. I have often told potential guests that they are required to add a profile picture. I would continue to do that if I hadn't stumbled across this news in the forum here. Airbnb does hosts and guests a major disservice when they don't tell us of changes to the platform. 

[Patricia1382]

I’m thinking of using other homeshare platforms until it changes back 

[Mike-And-Dale0]

Hi Ben, I am looking at setting up a bnb in Levin and need some help.  Are you available for all things NZ?  Mike

[Ben551]

@Mike-And-Dale0  howdy neighbour!  Happy to help if I can, though it depends what you need.  Feel free to give me a shout through AirBnb (send an enquiry to my listing and we can have a chat).

[Jill2]

@Christopher187

Thank you thank you.  Brilliant.  It worked.

[Helen56]

Unfortunately they have now fixed this useful 'glitch'. Glitch for them, but great for us.....

[Cathie19]

Thanks @Christopher187 for this valuable update. 

Like @Susan1028, @Ben551, @Jill2 et all, I want the best options to maintain a secure and safe Airbnb honestly space.

I will not, and do not discriminate, but knowing that extra something about a future guest, including whether they are a millennial or a baby boomer makes guest turnaround and safety on arrival so important. We don’t always have the luxury of TIME to wait for a confirmation then an updated image.

I’m not going to have “baby boomer DVDs” in the majority, if they are millennials who would generally prefer different aged genres. So let’s keep this profile image debate real as well as true.

Thanks again @Christopher187 & @Ben551.

[Rebecca0]

@Cathie19  Can you explain a bit more about what you mean re baby boomers versus millenials?   I don't understand your post!  It seems to imply that all people are defined by their age?    Why on earth would you pre-judge people that way?  For example, I am a baby boomer but would be happy to watch all kinds of crap on your TV/DVDs.  My millenial son, however, is a film graduate who would  throw your entire DVD collection in the trash unless it included some Tarkovsky.

Just keeping this " profile image debate real as well as true".    Bottom line - you never really know who will show up at your door or whether they will be a good guest or not.  People have been hosting guests for millenia.   Airbnb just put it online.

[Robin4]

@Christopher187 @Rebecca0 @Helen3 @Ben551 @Cathie19

Thanks Christopher this is a help........as long as the guest actually uses a public profile photo. I went back and checked a few of my previous guests and it works in about 50% of instances! You still get ones like this

Maybe if Airbnb realise that the hosting community is bypassing it's sanitising measures they may abandon stupid, no-brainer initiatives like this one!

Why you would make it ever harder for a host to have a stay run smoothly by giving them as much information about the guest as possible is completely beyond me. I cannot conceive that a programmer would be given an instruction to frustrate a hosts decision making...it makes abosutely no sense for either host/guest or Airbnb!

Cheers......Rob

[Sarah977]

@Robin4 Doesn't it seem like they are just trying to come up with some new idea or change on an almost weekly basis, just because? I can only think that the employees that are coming up with this stuff (and now that ridiculous option for hosts to pay all the guests' service fees) becuase they get raises or promotions for "ideas" or are required to produce new ideas in order to keep their jobs.

[Susan1028]

@Sarah118

This is more than employees making suggestions...over 800 posts on the "no guest photo" thread...

When did they start requiring we pay the guest service fees?

I just checked (as a guest), and I still see a guest fee in addition to our host fee.

: )

Susan