Trusting Others

From an early age, we've been told to not talk to strangers. However, society has begun to shift its stance on that classic piece of advice. Trusting others has become the norm with the expansion of mobile applications, especially with organizations and apps like Yelp, Uber, Lyft, VRBO, and AirBnb (just to name a few). Last summer, for example, I needed to attend a tech conference in Texas, but all of the hotels in the area were booked, so I turned to Airbnb. Never having used it, I hesitantly booked a room in some guy’s 4-star rating townhouse in downtown Houston. I also moved around Houston via Uber to get from place to place (and never had a problem). This experience went really well and since then, I've been actively looking for other places to stay at and using ride-sharing apps more often. However, I realized that not everyone’s experience is like this. Which brings up many questions, but one of the most important ones being: Who can you trust, and should you?

Who Can You Trust?

The Forbes article "AirBnb and The Internet Trust Issue: Who Can You Trust Online?" asks this question and delves into how people have become so reliant on these online rating systems and applications without taking into considerations the possible outcomes, such as being scammed or putting ourselves in danger. Similarly, "How Airbnb and Lyft Finally Got Americans to Trust Each Other", also puts into perspective how we have become so reliant and trusting, and it shockingly puts into perspective that "We are entrusting complete strangers with our most valuable possessions, our personal experiences—and our very lives. In the process, we are entering a new era of Internet-enabled intimacy."

Along with this new era of trust and intimacy, a new study by Zendrive and Aite Group has found that "jumping in the car with an Uber/ Lyft driver is generally safer than getting behind the wheel yourself" (http://www.fareestimate.com/news/uber-lyft-safety/). If it seems that using these applications have become the norm (and some studies are proving that it is safe), do we have anything to worry about?

Trust and Safety On Both Ends

"Uber and Lyft Drivers Work Dangerous Jobs- but they're on their own" also brings to light something that I hadn't considered. Yes, we as consumers are risking our safety, but those who are providing the service are in just as exposed and vulnerable. The article (mentioned above) looks at some "Uber horror stories" and videos where some experiences are more terrifying than others, such as the Uber driver who was beaten by a drunken Taco Bell executive, or a doctor who tried kicking his driver in the face before trashing his car. These horror stories don't just stop at Uber or Lyft, they also extend to AirBnb and VRBO. The following is a video on an "AirBnb Home Rental Nightmare" on behalf of ABC News:

Why is this controversial? 

While the Internet is connecting us all, and providing ways for us all to move around- whether in others' cars or into others' homes, we need to ask ourselves if we should be as trusting. There are both pros and cons to using these services, and in exchanging information like this. In reality, we don't know whose 5-star rated car we are getting into when we need to go from point A to B. But at times, it doesn't matter, as long as we can get from point A to B. If you take away anything from this write-up, I'd suggest that you consider whose house you're staying at, or whose car you're jumping into, and try to stay safe so that your experience can be an enjoyable one versus a nightmare that puts you in harm's way.