Airbnb is camera-shy, and the issue won’t seem to go away.
While people can usually save a fortune by staying at an Airbnb rather than a traditional motel or hotel, the savings may come at a cost that is just too steep to pay.
Hidden cameras in bedrooms and bathrooms are leaving guests fearful that their most private moments will soon be splashed all over the internet.
Just a few months ago, Airbnb announced an update to its security policy banning all indoor cameras.
Even though the company had historically allowed indoor security cameras in common areas like hallways and living rooms, it said the updated policy would simplify the approach by making it “clear that security cameras are not allowed inside listings, regardless of their location, purpose, or prior disclosure,” as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
A recent investigation by CNN found that the company is well aware of the issue, settling cases quickly and quietly, but doing little to ensure the safety and privacy of guests:
It was another lawsuit brought by another victim whose fun-filled vacation turned into a voyeuristic nightmare: A woman was secretly recorded undressing at a rental property, her images stored on the computer of an alleged sexual predator accused of spying on unsuspecting renters for years.
Airbnb, one of the world’s largest short-term rental companies, had seen this sort of scenario before. Typically, the company seeks to settle hidden camera cases quickly and confidentially.
But this one played out differently.
An Airbnb representative testifying at a court-ordered deposition early last year offered a rare glimpse of the company’s hidden camera problem: Airbnb has generated tens of thousands of customer support tickets related to surveillance devices in the last decade.
During the hours-long deposition, the Airbnb employee also revealed that when a guest complains of a hidden camera, the company doesn’t – as a matter of practice – notify law enforcement, not even when a child is involved. The company may, however, reach out to hosts about complaints as part of internal inquiries – a move law enforcement experts say could hinder criminal investigations because it gives suspects time to destroy evidence.
A CNN investigation found that Airbnb consistently fails to protect its guests despite knowing hidden cameras are a persistent concern within its industry. Airbnb’s corporate strategies, moreover, have been aimed at preventing regulation of the short-term rental market to allow the company to distance itself from responsibility for guest safety and privacy.