Due to their association with other users who were deemed a safety risk and removed off the platform, Airbnb is banning people from accessing its service.
According to Vice, this move serves as a reminder of the lousy security measures Airbnb uses to protect its consumers.
Critics Remain Skeptical About The New Policy
Users should not worry because they can rejoin the site after being banned due to their "close association" with another problematic user.
However, this can only happen if that problematic acquaintance is successful in their appeal of the ban or can demonstrate that they are not "closely associated."
Airbnb said in a statement that it occasionally bans users when it finds that they "are likely to travel" with someone else who has already been banned.
The company described this as a "necessary safety precaution," and a spokesperson claimed it is extremely "simplistic" to characterize such restrictions as the result of mere association.
Yet, the procedure seems murky given that the business only recently apologized and admitted that it had mistakenly banned the parents of right-wing activist Lauren Southern.
Airbnb refused to disclose the duration of the ban by association policy or the specific security violations that users must commit in order to have other users affiliated with them blacklisted.
Alternatively, the short-term rental service can overturn the judgment if it decides the "closely associated" user has not been genuinely closely associated with a banned user.
According to Gizmodo, that can leave users who are aware of rightfully banned people in a precarious situation.
The prohibition by association makes an attempt to overcome the re-booking loophole, but in doing so, it unavoidably risks unfairly harming good users.
Read More: Airbnb Now Lets Experienced Hosts Guide Potential Hosts in Listing Their Place
Airbnb's Long History Has Been Riddled With Misdemeaning Guests
In Airbnb's 14-year existence, complex trade-offs regarding accessibility and safety have been recurring themes.
Over the years, Airbnb has been obliged to put background checks and various safety precautions in place due to the sporadic but horrifying tales of guests attacking hosts and damaging their property.
In an effort to alleviate worries that the platform puts either visitors or hosts at risk, Airbnb has recently placed a higher priority on user safety on its global network.
Following a spate of shootings, the company has extended a temporary restriction on parties and activities in its listing.
Prior to that, the business announced it would revoke the reservations of customers who had stormed the Capitol on January 6 ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration as president.
According to reports, since 2017, Airbnb has a policy in place to ban confirmed members of hate groups from using its platform.
More discreetly, the company has been conducting background checks on its users since 2008, and since 2016, these checks have been conducted through a third-party provider.
According to Airbnb, it recognizes that the system is flawed and offers an appeals procedure to anyone who believes they have been unjustly barred from using its services.
Related Article: Airbnb Improves Price Transparency With Total Price Display
