Airbnb to stop offering refunds to hosts or guests that contract COVID-19

Source: Airbnb

Airbnb bookings made on or after May 31 will no longer be eligible for refunds related to COVID-19 issues. Instead, the standard cancellation policy will apply to cases where a host or guest gets COVID-19. According to that policy, nearly two-thirds of active offer policies allow guests to cancel up to five days (under the moderate policy) or up to 24 hours before check-in (under the flexible policy). Those who reserve before that date may still be eligible for the COVID-19-linked refund if they meet Airbnb's terms.

The only exceptions for domestic reservations are in South Korea and mainland China. The company said it will still offer refunds for some COVID-19-related circumstances for the foreseeable future. The pandemic isn't over, but it's unsurprising for Airbnb to make this move. The company and others in the travel industry have been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Airbnb laid off 25% of its workforce, and it looks like it wants to get back to business as usual.

Source

Microsoft Edge to get a free built-in VPN

Source: Microsoft

If you want a way to encrypt your internet connection, Microsoft plans to add a free built-in VPN service called Edge Secure Network. As with most VPNs, you can use it to mask your location, allowing you to protect your data and access services that might be blocked in your area. 

This free offering won't replace paid VPNs since it is limited to 1GB of data per month. And you'll need a Microsoft account to use the service. The company hasn't started testing the feature yet. But when it's live, you can enable it through Edge's three-dots icon. There will be a new "Secure Network" to enable the feature. When you're done browsing, it'll automatically turn off. 

Source

Netflix cancels 'Space Force'

Source: Netflix

Space Force, the comedy series from Parks and Recreation co-creator Greg Daniels, has been cancelled. The cancellation comes a few weeks after season two's February 18 premiere. It was reportedly cancelled for typical reasons the streaming service cancels shows. It wasn't attracting enough of an audience to keep it running.

As Engadget pointed out, the cancellation comes days after Netflix laid off a significant number of staff it hired to run its Tudum fansite. The service has also recently revealed it lost around 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022, its first loss in a decade.

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