Is it legal for the guest to mention my child in a review?

[Roxana37]

Hi,

My guest just left today and it was a good enough experience...except one loud hang out from 2 am till 4 am. I was very upset and I tried to be understanding even though I mentioned in the house rules that quiet time should be after 9 pm if it's a school night. And now the guest has mentioned my child in the review. This upsets me even more. He was not loud and did not bother her at all. He should not be part of this at all. Please advice. Thank you 🙂

[Alexandra316]

@Roxana37It is definitely not illegal or against the rules to mention that you have a child. All reviews have to meet Airbnb's Airbnb's content policy, which says that reviews have to be honest and shouln't be harrassing, etc. but I don't  think that applies here. You can read it yourself at https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/546/what-is-airbnb-s-content-policy

You could ask Airbnb to remove or edit the review, but I'm not sure what they're going to say, as it doesn't really violate their guidelines. They may do it as a goodwill gesture. I personally usually contact them on Twitter  @airbnbhelp or call your Superhost number. 

As a guest, I would personally prefer knowing that their is a young child in the house so I can make an informed choice about whether or not I want to stay. I have seen many, many other hosts mention this in their listings. 

[Roxana37]

Thank you so much, Alexandra. This is very helpful.

I do mention in the house rules that we would like the guests to be quieter if it's a school night...it implies there are kids or a kid, but I don't put any gender or age there just because these are unverified people who are reading reviews right now and could pinpoint which family we are now...nowadays you cannot be too careful.

It is helfpul knowing that AirBnB could do something about it. It is about safety first of all and I chose to trust the people who are verified by AirBnB, not the ones who did not go through the required verifications and can read the reviews which are public. Thank you so very much. I really appreciate that I had your virtual shoulder to "cry on". Best, Roxana

[Marzena4]

Hello @Roxana37. Nothing is obvious in the description until it is stated explicitly. For example: I might mention quiet school nights because I'm a teacher and start classes early on weekdays. But there's no kid... So indeed it's worth clarifying in the description because guests are becoming weirder nowadays.

[Roxana37]

Thank you for your feedback @Marzena0.

I did not said anything explicit because it's about my family's privacy and safety.

If the guest already has a reservation and went through the verifications I and AirBnB required, then he/ she could know more about my family.

My child is not an impediment to the guests and it is not his business either. He is a minor.

Hotels have kids. Do you ask the hotel if there are kids in the room next to you? It would be illegal to give out that information. Do you ask the airline if there are kids on the plane, their ages and when they nap etc? No, you just go to the hotel, get on the plane and go to the AirBnB knowing there is the potential that there could be a child on the premises.

I choose to be safe first of all.

Money and reservations come second. I will never clarify the gender of my child and his age publicly on AirBnB or anywhere else just for the sake of guests.

Have a good weekend!

[Roxana37]

No public reviews should say anything about a minor either.

Leave a negative or positive review, I don't care since people are different and have different opinions,  but don't mention my minor child in there.  

[Fred13]

@Roxana37  In your House Rules you say this publicly:  "QUIET TIME: after 9:00 pm during the week if it's a school week". That lets anyone at large know you in all likelihood have children, like many people do, and that the presence of 'school kids' is not intended to be a secret.

The guest, in passing, re-iterates the same public fact, in the context of why there is a need to be quiet after 9:00pm. Actually what I also inferred from the guest's comment (in a very delicate way) is that the listing has an added and perhaps stringent 'requirement'.

And you are wondering whether it is legal to do so and you would like Airbnb to change the review for that reason? Ok.

My suggestion then is to remove from your House Rules the reason you implied (young children) for having to be quiet after 9:00pm, which then will match perfectly your preoccupation with safety

'Problem' solved.

[David126]

@Roxana37

I see you mention verification a few times and think you may misunderstand how AirBnB operates, you mention Hotels and Airlines and there is not much difference if you book with them or AirBnB.

[Roxana37]

@David0I appreciate you taking the time with my issue.

I do understand how AirBnB works. My booking setting is that everybody who has a reservation should have a verified ID just like at a hotel. So people who are already guests are verified. People who are not already guests are not verified and therefore not safe to know a lot of details about my family.

If any potential guests would ask me privately if there are children in the house, I would simply say yes, but no details about gender or age.

I don't mind having negative reviews or positive, it does not matter as long as my minor child is not mentioned for unverified people to see his/ her details.

[David126]

In the US usually if you look under 30 and want to buy alchol you need to verify using ID, I do not understand how you think this is that relevant to hosting with a child present, now you may check ID for every Guest, I know in some places it is required that you do so and record it, but I would have thought that was only marginally relevant to the issue at hand, you have a child at your listing.

I agree with the others, you strongly imply that you have a young child present in your own verbage.

[Paul154]

@Roxana37

Yes it is legal to mention that you have a minor child.

There is no privacy in Airbnb. By using Airbnb, you have agreed to little privacy.

You have reasonable safety issues about broadcasting that you have a child.

If so, you should not use Airbnb and choose another way to get roommates