Airbnb has announced it is testing new “anti-party technology” which it says will identify “high-risk” reservations.
The company issued a wholesale ban on parties a couple of months ago, and now it’s working on ensuring those planning to skirt the rules don’t get past the booking phase. In the US and Canada, the vacation rental company is looking at a number of metrics to determine whether potential guests are likely to host parties.
“For example, this system looks at factors like history of positive reviews (or lack of positive reviews), length of time the guest has been on Airbnb, length of the trip, distance to the listing, weekend vs. weekday, among many others,” a blog post reads.
“The primary objective is attempting to reduce the ability of bad actors to throw unauthorised parties which negatively impact our Hosts, neighbours, and the communities we serve.”
Airbnb has been testing the tech in Australia over the last year and has found the tech has reduced the number of parties by 35%. The trials are over there and it’s now standard. If the tech believes you’re hiring a property with the intention of partying then it’ll block the reservation. Those users will be able to book a private room in a property or a hotel room. So much for your liberating vacation in a quirky property that feels like home, huh?
Trusted Take
Airbnb has already blocked under-25s with little history of positive reviews from booking, as it continues to be more restrictive. One can understand serving the interests of hosts and the surrounding neighbourhoods, but when did Airbnb become so little fun? It used to feel exciting and liberating, but now it feels like an inquisition and the booking process is practically an inference you’re up to something.
The more Airbnb tightens its grip, the more a good old fashioned hotel seems attractive again. Remember the hotel? They’ll make you bed, give you fresh towels every day, bring food to your room, and there’s a bar. And they don’t give you a list of thinly-veiled threats, a laundry list of chores to do before you leave, or charge you £100 for cleaning the room you just stayed in either.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
