Government ID verification required?

[Helen427]

Why are we still been asked for Double ID and advised we need current Photo or Government ID AND a SELFIE or/ and subjected to Payments been Paused?

We recently changed address and have had to go through this rigmarole.

Many will have no valid passport due to the last couple of years events, Travel Passes are a little different to Passports of old, Drivers Licenses are not a legal requirement to have for many - especially those who may be differently enabled and don't drive... and as @Helen350 and others have said, there is NO lawful requirement to have Photo ID / National ID card in the UK - Indeed in New Zealand it is also not a legal requirement either.

@Stephanie @Jenny @Emilie 

Would you please all follow up on this as the Photo ID process is still going around in a loop.

Why should Hosts payments be "paused" because of this screw up???

In some countries it's also unlawful to ask for and scan Photo ID's under Privacy Laws, they may be able to be 'sighted" but not scanned.

@Helen535 

[Jenny]

Hi @Helen427 

Thanks for your post.

I can see that you've already been in touch with the team about this, and they've explained everything, and noted your feedback.

Jenny

[Helen427]

Sadly @Jenny 

The issue is not resolved, nor can it be by Customer Services which is not fair on any Host living in countries where there's no legal obligation to have a Drivers Licence, Passport or National ID Card.

I was shocked to be told by Customer Services to obtain one so I could continue to use ABB and be paid.

In New Zealand one obtains a Drivers Licence to show a Police Officer if required to, they also have Private Medical Information on them - a blind or visually impaired person, and those who for whatever reason is not going to have a Drivers Licence, are they?

There's people who have because of Covid19 restrictions let Passports lapse and have no intention of paying for one or renewing them until required times and more stability with Airline travel - currently we still have very limited flights available to and from New Zealand.

We also don't have any legal obligation to have a National ID card so why should Airbnb users in New Zealand and other countries where it's not a Lawful requirement be told to go and obtain one for Airbnb Verification Purposes by Customer Services staff?

The 'Bot' system needs to be fixed so it works fairly for those in countries that don't have National ID cards.

List of National Identity card Policies by country 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_identity_card_policies_by_country

[Jenny]

Sorry to hear that, @Helen427. 

I've passed your additional feedback over to Airbnb.

Jenny

[Helen427]

Thanks, Is that to their Financial Department @Jenny as they are the department who can release my overdue payments ?

[Helen427]

@Fraser22  Are you still about?
Would you please be able to assist as you helped me last time we had this really annoying around the loop Dashboard glitch.

Thanks in advance

[Bhumika]

Hello @Helen427 ,

Can you elaborate more on what issue you are facing? Since it has been a while, has this issue been solved for you?

We're happy to announce the Month of Celebration!

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[Helen427]

No @Bhumika @Jenny @Catherine-Powell @Brian I've still not been paid which has resulted in ongoing distress I've not needed.

We are stuck in an endless Loop because there's no cross/ X mark on the page to exit with Government Photo ID OPTION of which there's vast amounts of discussion raised here in the Community Centre and other places online.

Bearing in mind the fact it's supposed to be an 'Option' why has this not been addressed by your Tech Team?

Not everyone has photo ID for whatever reason and in accordance with Anti-Money Laundering Legislation there's supposed to be other "Options" available - and taken into consideration.

We have naturally completed all the other Tick the Boxes where we can that are applicable.

I've asked Customer Services if they would please refer my Paused Payments issue to Payments as they should be looking at the chronological order and chain of events that lead up to this - all of which is noted on file - and leads back to a Guest who wrote a Review that has been removed as they were in Breach of Terms of Service.

It's noted that in the USA there's been an update on the issues with the Government requiring IRS details for those using online platforms like Airbnb if the payments are over $600 per year, and in light of the fact I personally, along with many others, are not in the USA would appreciate it if something is done about the Blanket approach of Pausing Payments and Photo ID issues.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-delay-for-implementation-of-600-reporting-threshold-for-t...

There has to be a better way than the current, unfixed IT Product situation many of us have found ourselves in.

It is not good business practice, nor good for Airbnb to have left this ongoing Photo/ Government ID Option unaddressed.

[Helen427]

It is fast coming up to 3 years now and we still remain unpaid for around 12 months of our guests who stayed, at the time, monies that they paid in good faith and expected it to have been paid to me as agreed in our contract with Airbnb.

It's simply not good enough on Airbnb's part to not fulfil their payment obligations when all our banking details were correct and information was readily available in our ABB files to confirm facts.

To be so messed around and told so many different excuses and reasons why we have not been paid as an "Existing user of Airbnb" and not been a person linked to terrorists I have found the whole situation very distressing and unpalatable.

Goodness Gracious what part of our details doesn't match our Bank account where all previous payments went through without any issues?

Does ABB no longer have human beings cross checking if a persons details "match" what is on our files in their Payments division?

Whoever has created this problem for us needs to be held to account.

It was despicable enough that the said guest caused us this situation, without others failing to comprehend context of a simple "Payment Adjustment" and causing me further harm and damaging our reputation and credit ratings.

Shame on the person when we requested help in this CC who passed this on to and  mislead Trust and Safety and who went on to mislead others with failing to comprehend basic Administrative records and processes to ensure a simple Payment Adjustment process was completed in a timely manner.

@Bhumika 

@Emilie 

@Stephanie 

@Brian You need to ensure all contracted agents are competent and legally Qualified and acting only within their Scope of Practice as no one should remain unpaid for providing services and suffer further adverse Consequences as a result of systemic failures of service for the length of coming up to 3 years.

How would you all feel if you were not paid for services provided?

[Helen427]

This decision may be of help to others who have ben caught up in Paused Payments and Government ID tangles, as well as obviously Data Protection with one's account

Inquiry Airbnb Ireland UC September 2022

https://dataprotection.ie/en/resources/law/decisions/inquiry-airbnb-ireland-uc-september-2022

[Helen427]

Principle (c): Data minimisation

Data Minimisation

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-r...

https://gdpr-info.eu/art-5-gdpr/

Art. 5 GDPR Principles relating to processing of personal data

Personal data shall be:

1. processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject (‘lawfulness, fairness and transparency’);

Why does Airbnb have a Template that it's users have to fill out all parts in a Mandatory manner yet there Policy says the words 'MAY'?

Or have we all overlooked where in Airbnb's Policy's that it is now Mandatory to provide Government ID?

With the ever evolving Legislation surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI), proposed and other, and the decision from the DPC in Ireland whereby Airbnb were told to sort out their "Internal Systems", what steps have ABB made to ensure that the problematic Template where it asks for a Government ID AND a Selfie is been sorted out to ensure they comply with 'Data Minimisation" to ensure those in need of accommodation and Payouts are provided with an accessible and Proficient service?

[Helen427]

Note, on pages 18-19 which applies to many Hosts and which one may reasonably expect to be relevant and applicable in relation to Host Payouts that have been 'Paused' for whatever reasons and where there's a lack of  Due Diligence been undertaken by ABB it's Customer Services etc.

 Airbnb's Tech Team Templates need urgent attention for the betterment of all as it is impacting on all of our Reputations.

Airbnb need  to do address there problematic  RoadMaps that Artificial Intelligence is pursing and causing disruption to previously harmonious relationships in our Communities.

https://www.dataguidance.com/news/ireland-dpc-imposes-corrective-measures-and-reprimand

Ireland: DPC imposes corrective measures and reprimand on Airbnb for infringement of principle of data minimisation

The Deputy Commissioner of the Data Protection Commission ('DPC') announced, on 13 January 2023, via LinkedIn, the publication of the final decision, as issued on 14 September 2022, in which it imposed a reprimand and corrective measures on Airbnb Ireland UC for violations of Articles 5(1)(c), 6(1) and 12(3) of the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) ('GDPR'), following an individuals complaint.

Background to the decision

In particular, the DPC noted that the inquiry was commenced following a complaint that Airbnb failed to comply with an erasure request and a subsequent access request within the statutory timeframe. Furthermore, the DPC provided that when the complainant submitted their request for erasure, Airbnb requested that they verify their identity by providing a photocopy of their ID which they had not previously provided to Airbnb.

Findings of the DPC

Further to the above, the DPC highlighted that its decision was submitted to the supervisory authorities concerned for their opinion pursuant to Article 60 of the GDPR and no objections were raised by the other concerned supervisory authorities.

In addition, the DPC found the following infringements:

• Airbnb's requirement that the complainant verify their identity by way of submission of a copy of their photographic ID constituted an infringement of the principle of data minimisation, pursuant to Article 5(1)(c) of the GDPR.

• The infringement occurred in circumstances where less data-driven solutions to verify identity were available to Airbnb.
• In the specific circumstances of the complaint, the legitimate interest pursued by Airbnb does not constitute a valid lawful basis under Article 6 of the GDPR for seeking a copy of the complainant's photographic ID in order to process their erasure request.
• Airbnb infringed Article 12(3) of the GDPR with respect to its handling of the complainant's access request. The infringement occurred when Airbnb failed to provide the complainant
  • with information on the action taken on their request within one month of the receipt of the access request.
  •  

  Outcomes

  In conclusion, the DPC imposed on Airbnb a reprimand pursuant to Article 58(2) of the GDPR. In addition, the DPC ordered Airbnb, pursuant to Article 5(1)(c) of the GDPR, to revise its internal policies and procedures for handling erasure requests to ensure that individuals are no longer required to provide a copy of photographic ID when making erasure requests, unless Airbnb can demonstrate a valid legal basis for doing so.

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• You can read the LinkedIn post here and the inquiry and decision here.

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• @Bhumika
• @Jenny4 @Paula
• @Francesca 
• @Sybe 

@Quincy 

@Stephanie

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