Airbnb will share guest information with Chinese authorities
The company will give the government data like passport information and booking dates.
If you're booking a room with Airbnb and heading to China, be aware that the company is giving your information to government authorities there.
The home-sharing service will begin sharing data on guests, including passport information and booking dates, with the Chinese government, according to Bloomberg, which also reported that the company may disclose information on hosts as well.
Hotels are already obligated to report their information to the authorities, Bloomberg noted in its article Thursday. But Airbnb's approach automates the process, which means all of the information automatically goes to the Chinese government.
"Like all businesses operating in China, Airbnb China must comply with local laws and regulations," said a spokesman. "We're committed to doing all we can to keep our hosts and guests informed about our work in China and we recently updated our hosts about our requirements under the law."