PeterRS Posted 22 hours ago Posted 22 hours ago I have never used Airbnb, perhaps because I now spend only a few nights in one place on my travels. Some years ago I did try to find one in Taipei which is my most regular destination. There was only one near the city centre which I really liked but it had no television. Not a major dealbreaker although I do tend to watch one of the international news channels once a day. What killed it for me was it was only a few $$ less than my regular 3-star hotel nearby. And the hotel offers a bigger and better equipped bathroom (rooms have a really large bath which I love because I tend to walk a great deal in Taipei - and it is large enough for two!) The Guardian today has the tale of a London-based lady who had booked an Airbnb in New York for two-and-a-half months earlier this year. Feeling unsafe in the area, she left early. Soon thereafter the host claimed she had caused US$16,000 of damage, a claim he backed up with photographs. The lady countered that she had a friend with her as she checked out and who could back up her statement that no damage had been caused. Airbnb rejected her appeal. It was only after the lady sent a compaint to the Helpline run by The Guardian who took up her case. Firstly Airbnb offered $665 compensation. Then a $1,130 refund, a fifth of the total cost of her booking. When this was rejected, she was finally refunded the full amount of her booking $5,660. It was then discovered that the images sent by the Airbnb host had been manipulated by using AI. As we know, manipulating images through the use of AI is now easy as a result of widely available cheap software. Airbnb has warned the host and said it will take such claims more seriously in future - isn't that what every company says when it has finally agreed to pay up? https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/aug/02/airbnb-guest-damage-claim-refund-photos vinapu and tm_nyc 1 1 Quote
vinapu Posted 9 hours ago Posted 9 hours ago We came to an era when, thanks to AI, no picture , no matter how convincing will be taken seriously, even if it shows Trump caressing some distinguished lady's pussy floridarob 1 Quote
