These days, travelers have more options than ever when booking vacations. Websites ranging from Craigslist to Couch Surfing provide users the ability to swap houses or even crash on a stranger’s futon. Among these emerging services is Airbnb, an online network that connects renters with people looking for a place to stay short-term.
Earlier this month, a shocking story made headlines about an innocent San Francisco resident who opened her home to a renter via Airbnb, only to find it completely ransacked upon her return. The user, whose name is only published as “E.J.,” recounted the story in a June 29 blog post. Not only were her valuables stolen and her possessions destroyed, but her passport and social security card appeared to have been photocopied, exposing her to possible identity theft.
After E.J.’s story went viral last week, another man revealed to TechCrunch that his own Oakland home was vandalized and covered in meth paraphernalia upon his return.
These incidents help bring to light the importance that we all must place on preserving our security when transacting online. The choice you make when deciding whether to trust someone should be based on both the information the web service provides and what you are able to gather yourself.
Airbnb does not verify the identity of its users, though E.J. argued in a recent blog update that the company leads customers into a false sense of security by “disallowing the exchange of personal contact information until… a reservation is already confirmed and paid for.”
E.J. contends that Craigslist is, in effect, safer. However, we all know that using Craigslist can be dangerous. We have all seen in the news how serious crimes, including theft and murder, have stemmed from Craigslist encounters. The unfortunate reality is that we should always be careful before opening our lives and homes to strangers we meet online.
One of the biggest problems with the online marketplace today is the ability for users to hide behind their anonymity. Randi Zuckerberg, the former marketing director for Facebook, spoke on this topic in a recent panel discussion on social media hosted by Marie Claire magazine.
“I think anonymity on the Internet has to go away,” said Zuckerberg. And we couldn’t agree more. While private data should never be made public to just anyone, it is important that people be held responsible for their actions on the Internet, especially when they break the law or harm others. Internet users should not be able to hide behind any identity other than their own, and everyone’s online identity must be verified to help protect all web denizens.
At Safelist, we recognize that it is important for you to feel safe and know that you are transacting with a legitimate person, therefore, we verify the identity of every Safelist user. Additionally, we also allow our users the option to pass a criminal background check to afford them even greater respect and legitimacy within our community. Our goal is to provide a safer alternative to the anonymous marketplaces found online.
In order to protect our physical and financial safety it is imperative that we always remain vigilant when using online services. Never rely on short cuts!
Please join in the conversation with your comments.
Comments: