Airbnb user trustworthiness scoring

Airbnb’s user trustworthiness scoring is a system that uses an algorithm to assess the trustworthiness of users. 

The system collects and feeds users’ personal data into an algorithm, including information from their social media accounts, profession, education level, and any other online data that can be found in order to assess their personality traits, such as narcissism or conscientiousness. 

It also collects information about behavioural traits, such as use of drugs or alcohol or involvement in civil litigation and other behaviour, and combines them to create a holistic score that judges a person's trustworthiness.

Risks and harms 🛑

Airbnb’s user trustworthiness scoring has been criticised for being unfair, manipulativviolating privacy, and for poor transparency and accountability

Transparency and accountability 🔥

Airbnb's user trustworthiness scoring is seen to suffer from a number of important transparency and accountability limitations.

• Algorithmic black box. Airbnb does not tell users how they decide if they are trustworthy or how they can improve their trust scores.

• Data sources. It is unclear what personal information Airbnb uses in scoring, which raises privacy concerns.

• External assessments. Airbnb does not alow third-parties to assess or audit their user trustworthiness system.

• Complaints & appeals process. If you think your score is wrong, there is no clear way to challenge it or get it fixed.

Legal, regulatory 👩🏼‍⚖️

• EPIC (2020). EPIC Files Complaint with FTC about Airbnb’s Secret “Trustworthiness” Scores

• EPIC (2020). Complaint and Request for Investigation, Injunction, and Other Relief Submitted by The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) (pdf)

Research, advocacy 🧮

• CHOICE (2022). Is Airbnb using an algorithm to ban users from the platform?

• Consumer (2022). Could you be banned from Airbnb for your Instagram posts?

• Ma X., Neeraj T., Naaman M. (2017). A Computational Approach to Perceived Trustworthiness of Airbnb Host Profiles (pdf) 

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2022/03/22/choice-airbnb-trust-algorithm/

• https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/banned-from-airbnb-023208437.html

• https://www.standard.co.uk/tech/airbnb-software-scan-online-life-suitable-guest-a4325551.html

• https://www.vice.com/en/article/4ag7vq/airbnb-has-secret-trustworthy-scores-and-this-privacy-group-is-demanding-to-see-them

• https://www.macobserver.com/news/airbnbs-secret-algorithms/

• https://www.techregister.co.uk/how-airbnb-uses-artificial-intelligence-to-identify-risky-renters/

• https://digital.hbs.edu/platform-digit/submission/airbnb-using-ai-to-evaluate-if-a-guest-is-trustworthy/