Hacker News Reader

Comment by pr0vitamin | Hacker News Reader

I think you'll find this is against Airbnb's Terms of Service on a few fronts, so be wary of that. "...you may not and you agree that you will not: - use manual or automated software, devices, scripts, robots or other means or processes to access, “scrape,” “crawl” or “spider” any web pages or other services contained in the Site, Application, Services or Collective Content;"

There's quite a few other clauses that you'll be breaching, so it might pay to have a read: https://www.airbnb.co.nz/terms

View on HN

Every major site has such clause. It's a matter of how careful and aware your scripts are.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, nor that you can't. Personally I think it's a terrible idea and bordering on evil, but that's neither here nor there.

Just be aware that if people find out what you're doing, it probably won't be looked at very fondly - legally or morally.

Considering that most AirBnB listings are themselves breaching something like a ToS, only usually a more enforceable one (such as a tenant agreement or condo deed conditions), I don't think pointing to a website terms of service being potentially violated gives much of a high ground in itself. It also seems like a pretty unlikely combination of positions: someone who takes an "ignore the rules / pro-disruption" position on illegal rentals, but is hardcore pro-enforcement when it comes to a ToS? I'd think almost everyone who agrees with the first position also takes an EFF-style anti-enforcement position on the second one.

I'm not advocating illegal rentals, or Airbnb, nor am I "hardcore pro-enforcement" of a ToS. I merely advised the OP about the ToS, so he can make sure he's covering himself.

I wonder if AirBnB thinks it borders on _evil_.

http://www.quora.com/Airbnb-Craigslist-Spamming-Controversy

I'm not defending Airbnb, this guy could be harvesting personal details off any service as far as I'm concerned. Same issue.

morally? Seriously. Step back a little and look at it from a landlords perspective. Airbnb can facilitate lease violations and that's okay, but helping Landlords identify lease violations is morally wrong?

You're painting with a VERY wide brush. Your idea, in action, would be damaging to those on Airbnb who do business within the bounds of the law.

Just because some folks might violate the terms of their {lease, rental agreement} does not mean ALL of them do. Your actions would hurt the honest hosts, as well as those in violation of their rental terms.

Don't be a schmuck. Seriously. You are not the moral police for those renters.

DISCLAIMER: I am an Airbnb host. I violate no rental terms, as I own my home.

I don't disagree that the situation sucks for landlords if their tenant breaches the tenancy agreement and uses Airbnb as a tool for sub-letting. This of course also places the tenant in breach of Airbnb's TOS too.

But you're now suggesting that this injustice to landlords justifies harvesting Airbnb's user's personal information and then selling it? That's morally and legally questionable any way you look at it.

Seriously? the information isn't that personal if it's publicly listed on AirBnB...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com