Airbnb Bans Indoor Security Cameras, Limits Use of Outdoor Cameras Across Global Listings

Photo illustration of the Airbnb logo is seen in front of a silhouette of a hand holding a mobile phone. Viewimage/Shutterstock

Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras from all the properties it lists globally as part of the homestay marketplace firm’s effort to prioritize customers’ privacy, the company announced in a March 11 statement.

Officials noted that Airbnb had historically allowed indoor security cameras to be used in common areas of properties listed on the site, such as in the hallways and living rooms of properties, provided they were clearly disclosed on the listings page before booking and were not placed in areas such as bedrooms and bathrooms.

Under the updated policy, the use of such cameras is now strictly prohibited inside any Airbnb-listed property regardless of where they are placed, their purpose, or their visibility.

Homeowners listing properties on Airbnb will have until April 30 to comply with the newly updated policy, the San Francisco company said.

After that date, homeowners found to violate the policy will be investigated by the lodging rental platform and risk having their listing or account removed from the platform.

Airbnb noted that the majority of its listings do not report having a security camera, and the update is “expected to impact a smaller subset of listings on the platform.”

Hidden Cameras Found

“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 a statement announcing the policy.

Ms. Downs noted the changes followed extensive consultation with guests, hosts, privacy experts, and advocacy groups, adding that Airbnb will “continue to seek feedback to help ensure our policies work for our global community.”

The update comes after reports of Airbnb users finding hidden cameras in their rentals across the United States.

Airbnb has repeatedly warned that hidden cameras are strictly prohibited from rented properties listed on the site, and says negative incidents involving hidden filming devices are rare.

Along with banning indoor security cameras, Airbnb’s newly revised policy also includes more comprehensive rules regarding the use of outdoor security cameras and other devices, including noise decibel monitors, which hosts sometimes use to ensure that no parties are held on the property.

‘Privacy Win’

While doorbell cameras continue to be permitted on Airbnb, hosts will now have to disclose their presence and the general location of any outdoor cameras on listings before guests book the property.

Such cameras are prohibited from being placed in certain outdoor areas where there is “a greater expectation of privacy” like an enclosed outdoor shower or sauna.

The presence and location of noise decibel monitors will also need to be disclosed prior to booking, Airbnb said. Those monitors will only be allowed in common spaces of the property.

The update to Airbnb’s policy was welcomed by private advocacy groups including the New York-based Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.) which touted it as a “privacy and safety win.”

“No one should have to worry about being recorded in a rental, whether the bedroom, the living room, or a hall,” S.T.O.P. executive director Albert Fox Cahn said in a press release. “Getting rid of these cameras is a clear win for privacy and safety, and we know that these recording devices are ripe for abuse. When people find that they’re being watched where they live, it’s not just creepy, it’s a profound violation,” he continued.

“This is a huge win for those of us who have fought to ensure that renters don’t have to worry about being watched every moment they’re awake. We’re grateful that Airbnb listened to those of us who told them that a change was needed,” Mr. Cahn added.