Messaging platform

[Diana495]

Dear Airbnb Community Platform.  It would seem that Airbnb are not confident that their messaging platform is secure.  For anyone that thinks that it is, I suggest that you take note.

 

 

Airbnb Support

**[Private conversation removed in line with Community Center Guidelines]

[Pat271]

Some people have Airbnb apps, and are logged onto Airbnb on their phone or Ipad.  If phones or IPads are stolen and apps are accessed before the timeout period, unauthorized access could be granted.

You could also be someone with credentials to log in, but not be entitled to this kind of private access.  Ex-spouses and other family members who know what passwords you are likely to use may fall under this category.

This extra level of validation is in place to protect you as well as Airbnb.  If Airbnb wants to do a double-check on verification, it does not mean that the platform is insecure.  For instance, 2-level authentication with your bank is another example of this.  Does the fact that your bank may require you to confirm your identity by verifying by phone, as well as with a password, mean that your bank is insecure?

I’m from the US, where the above authentication mechanisms apply.  If I’m not understanding some extra level of authentication applicable in your region, then please disregard.

[Diana495]

When you log into your Airbnb account it is either secure or not. 

I believe that Airbnb would have you believe that their site is SECURE

In this knowledge, once logged into your account, you are able to make bookings, amend your personal data, edit your listings, change your e-mail address, bank account payment details, ask questions, receive a response (chance would be a fine thing) but apparently not make a request for your personal data....

Think about it.

[Sarah977]

@Diana495  I do definitely get your point. It's absurd to require secondary verification for some sensitive information and not others. It would seem a case of trying to make it as difficult as possible for you to get the records of your phone interactions, so you'll give up and go away. Or that when it comes down to making sure that the records of what an Airbnb rep said to you on the phone, it must be fully secure, whereas our account information and actions we make on our account are not so important to be secure.

But I don't think we can really trust that ANY internet site is fully secure, no matter what they claim- there are brilliant hackers, some of them still legally children, who have managed to get into supposedly extremely secure government and banking sites. 

[Diana495]

...for the most part, internet users have little choice but to trust that 'common' websites/platforms are secure.

Unless Airbnb have such little faith in the security of their site, accepting GDPR requests via their sites should suffice.

Of course you may be right they have an ulterior motive -  placing hurdles &  obstacles in their valued customer's way, so that they minimise the requests that they receive.

[Sarah977]

@Diana495  It does seem to be their MO across the board- turning any issue or complaint a host contacts them about into an endless back and forth of non-understanding or saying they'll call back within the hour and never calling back at all, or ignoring that an issue requires urgent attention and waiting 2 days to get back to the host. The approach appears to be designed to leave you so frustrated that you just blow the whole thing off.