Struggling with virtual school, hybrid models, and days filled with despair is how COVID-19 has left many teens. COVID-19 has presented The Prep community with great challenges, and many students are in need of a break from the day-to- day activities that they’ve been consumed by. So, students, why don’t you ask your parents for a good old vacation? 

During times like these, families are eager to get away from their monotonous daily lives, get vaccinated, and travel the world. At any rate, some people may be reluctant to stay in hotels due to COVID-19 risks, so VRBO, a travel reservation app that enables users to rent a vacation home, maybe a popular option for people who want to travel.

VRBO is an app that can be considered a piece of software. VRBO, now owned by Expedia Group, owns the software behind their app. VRBO is not open source; this means that they do not provide the source code to their software for the public to view. Although the free app is available for all to use, the software’s source code is inaccessible to the public.

VRBO uses the internet to function properly. The app’s messaging system allows the travel to communicate with their host through the internet. Furthemore, VRBO uses an online payment system that allows users to pay via the internet. Finally, the app uses the internet as a search engine to find property. Simply put, without the internet, VRBO would not work at all.

VRBO presents few privacy and security risks as the payment system is secure and reputable. Moreover, the personal information that the host and user share is stored in a secure database. Further, the hosts and users must enter their IDs to ensure that both sides of the “transaction” are people of good faith. However, VRBO, in the past, has had to block new reservations due to external security risks. For example, on January 19, 2021, The Verge News (article) reported that VRBO was blocking new reservations in DC due to security risks associated with the inauguration of President Joesph R. Biden. While the software itself is secure, the company understands that external security threats do impact the app’s operations.

VRBO has been cited in very few legal cases and most of the legal cases were, in reality, over issues of payment between the host and the user. VRBO, as the overarching company, gets dragged into lawsuits when their hosts do not corporate and make it so their users bring them to court.

VRBO has a positive impact on society because it stimulates the economy. Tourism is a valuable, integral part of many states’ economies. Therefore, VRBO provides an opportunity for travelers to spend money and pay taxes to communities that rely on tourist taxes. Hence, VRBO not only allows users to enjoy a safe trip, but it also provides the host and the state with money, an ever so valuable resource.

In all, VRBO is a valuable resource for Prep families that want to enjoy a safe vacation!