Starting April 30, 2024, Airbnb will ban indoor cameras that could capture guest activities. Before this announcement, hosts could use security cameras in common areas i.e., living rooms, front doors or hallways. However, they had to disclose the presence of security cameras in their listing and cameras were not allowed in bathrooms and bedrooms.
The vacation rental app is forced to implement this new rule after numerous reports popped up in the past few months where guests found hidden cameras inside their rentals. In fact, a 2023 study found that one in every ten holiday rental hosts admitted to having hidden cameras or microphones in their properties. This raised security concerns among vacation-goers, who scanned their rooms for cameras.
Even for the installation of outdoor security cameras, Airbnb has set new rules stating that hosts must disclose the location of the outdoor cameras before guests book any property. Besides, the use of outdoor cameras to monitor indoor spaces and the use of cameras in outdoor areas where more privacy is expected (e.g., outdoor showers or saunas) are prohibited.
Hosts will also have to disclose the use of noise decibel monitors in their listings. Noise decibel monitors are usually used to identify if there is any unwanted party going on in their rented property. All types of parties were banned by Airbnb a couple of years ago, nonetheless.
“Our goal was to create new, clear rules that provide our community with greater clarity about what to expect on Airbnb,” Juniper Downs, Airbnb’s head of community policy and partnerships, said in the company’s blog post. “These changes were made in consultation with our guests, Hosts and privacy experts, and we’ll continue to seek feedback to help ensure our policies work for our global community” he added.
This new policy by the vacation rental app divides hosts and guests and both sides have solid arguments. Some hosts claim that security cameras are an integral part of property safekeeping. They can hold guests responsible for any damage caused to the property with the help of security cameras. Besides, it allows hosts to manage the listing even from a remote location.
On the contrary, many guests see the use of security cameras as a violation of privacy. Guests even opined that hosts may use the video footage for ill purposes which is illegal.
Airbnb has provided a timeframe for hosts to remove all security cameras by the end of April. After this timeline, if a guest reports the existence of an indoor camera the team will investigate the issue. If found guilty, the host’s listing or account can be banned forever.
This new policy may not put a cease on using hidden cameras, which is illegal by all means. However, it will certainly bring some peace of mind among guests knowing the fact that rule-abiding hosts cannot use cameras inside their listings.