Airbnb Makes Huge Changes To Security Camera Rules: What Guests And Hosts Need To Know
On Monday, Airbnb announced a fairly significant policy change on its website: Effective April 30, 2024, regardless of the context, security cameras will be banned indoors at all of the rentals overseen by the company. Only outdoor security cameras will be allowed going forward, and even those will have a new set of rules to abide by.
Previously, Airbnb had allowed security cameras in common areas "as long as they were disclosed on the listing page before booking, clearly visible and were not located in spaces like sleeping areas and bathrooms." Hotels on the platform, meanwhile, will be allowed to use cameras indoors for common areas outside of guest's rooms, such as hallways, lobbies, and restaurants.
"Our goal was to create new, clear rules that provide our community with greater clarity about what to expect on Airbnb," said Juniper Downs, Airbnb's Head of Community Policy and Partnerships, in the statement. "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." Airbnb says that most listings don't report using security cameras, and it expects only a small minority already using indoor cameras to be affected.
When it comes to surveillance devices that are still allowed, there are a few catches. Though both outdoor cameras, such as doorbell cameras like Ring, are still allowed, as are decibel monitors to keep track of noise levels, their presence must be disclosed on the listing. The same goes for disclosing the general location of the cameras.
How did we get here?
On March 2, 2024, "Saturday Night Live" host Sydney Sweeney and cast member Chloe Troast performed a sketch about interior designers — one that focused on Airbnb. Whether or not the timing of Airbnb's announcement — which came just over a week after the episode aired — is a coincidence remains unknown, but the sketch played off of real concerns that consumers have had stemming from real stories of hidden cameras in Airbnb properties.
Hidden cameras would have been against the old rules, but the new rule could further increase customers' peace of mind. That goes doubly so since Airbnb allegedly applied the old rules inconsistently. A March 2019 article in The Atlantic provided one of the most in-depth looks at the issue to date, citing four customers who found undisclosed cameras in their rentals but could not get anywhere with Airbnb support, including not getting a refund when they found the hidden cameras.
"There have been super terrible examples of privacy violations by AirBnB hosts, e.g., people have found cameras hidden in alarm clocks in their bedrooms," Carnegie Mellon computer science professor Jeff Bigham told The Atlantic. Important to note that Bigham's initial claim over an undisclosed camera was denied. Hopefully, the end of any ambiguity in the rules about indoor cameras will result in fewer situations like Bigham's going forward.