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I visited a site that according to its blurb is one of Australia’s leading property data information analytics and services companies.
I looked up my house and disturbingly found the current Airbnb photos of my home! These photos were only live for one month in April this year, and then I snoozed the listing. Also included was the Airbnb rate.
As we all know only paid guests have access to the actual address, so how does this site link the Airbnb photos of my listing to the exact address?
There is only one way I can think of and that is that Airbnb have sold my information to this company.
Does anyone have any other suggestion?
My in-house Data Analysis Boffin says you’ve been “screen scraped”, whatever that means, probably by WorkFusion RPA Express, whoever they are. His data was screen scraped off LinkedIn by a company in Canada, who then emailed him to say they had his details; when told to de-data him, they did. It’s apparently a technique for people to build up their databases according to whatever business they are in; if you don’t object, you get to stay. So not Airbnb selling our data thankfully.
Probably more difficult to do in Europe now, since the latest Data Protection Directive.
The data I saw was against the exact property address. I can see how screen scraping would work if the address was visible in the listing, but it’s only made available to people who book … and there were no bookings while the listing was up. I also haven’t been informed by anyone that my data has been taken, so I think this is more than just a screen scrape.
I seriously doubt that Air is selling our information. There are any number of ways that your information can be hacked, including a former guest selling your info. The surprising thing is that more people aren’t hacked.
I agree. Any photos or info that goes onto the internet in any way, shape or form (including our posts here!) are open to being used on other sites or for other purposes. That doesn’t make it legal but there’s no reason to be surprised when it happens.
It’s easy to match your homes picture with other public databases like property tax, google street etc. The real question is the unseen data that’s collected by any large digital platform… Your motivations for listing/delisting. What was going on in your SM world at the time? How confidently you listed or delisted in your keystrokes… That’s the real data everyone wants that should be the most concerning. Anyone else feel this way?
