AskHN: Is there a reason to hide phonenumbers on marketplaces from the user POV?

1 pointearlyriser1 comment

I understand the obvious reasons from a user POV of hiding email addresses (spam), but why some marketplaces (Airbnb) obscure phone numbers?

Is this just for the marketplace benefit (avoid deals outside it) or there are also benefits for the user?

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Some user populations very, very much do not want their phone number available to everyone on the public Internet, particularly when posted next to a photo of them and a guided tour of their residence. "Nobody will ever see your phone number unless you give it to them." is a selling point for these users.

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