Here's the latest from Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2799/airbnbs-offplatform-policy
We are not allowed to ask guests to provide us with ID, we are not allowed to do background checks, among other "not alloweds".
Yet according to this: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1308/does-airbnb-perform-background-checks-on-members Airbnb doesn't even require guests to provide them with full names or date of birth.
Here is the pertinent wording: "If we have enough information (usually at least the user’s first and last name, plus date of birth) to identify a guest or host who lives in the United States, we check certain databases of public state and county criminal records, as well as state and national sex offender registries for criminal convictions and sex offender registrations. If we have enough information (usually at least the user’s first and last name plus date of birth) to identify a guest or host who lives outside the United States, we may, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and to the extent available, obtain the local version of background or registered sex offender checks."
So if you were under the impression that even though you may not know a guest's last name, Airbnb surely does, think again.
And how likely is it that guests who have a criminal record or a warrant out for their arrest would give this information that Airbnb doesn't actually require?
No police department in the world would consider it safe for hosts to admit a stranger into their home without at least knowing the person's real name. Yet Airbnb is willing to put hosts in this unsafe position.