

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

I understand the obvious reasons from a user POV of hiding email addresses (spam), but why some marketplaces (Airbnb) obscure phone numbers?<p>Is this just for the marketplace benefit (avoid deals outside it) or there are also benefits for the user?
======
patio11
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.

