Airbnb has issued a directive to hosts, urging them to cease the practice of filming guests. The company has implemented a ban on the placement of indoor cameras in rental properties.
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AirBnB update website and app
Banning Indoor Cameras
If you've ever wondered whether your stay at an Airbnb involved being unwittingly filmed, there's reassuring news for you. Airbnb has introduced new privacy regulations that completely prohibit the use of indoor cameras.
Hosts were previously permitted to install cameras in communal areas but were prohibited from doing so in private spaces such as bedrooms and bathrooms.
Although hosts were expected to disclose the presence of cameras in the rental description, this recent policy change eliminates any ambiguity for guests.
Aside from prohibiting indoor cameras, Airbnb has implemented guidelines regarding outdoor surveillance. Hosts must now openly declare any outdoor cameras installed on their property.
Additionally, these cameras are prohibited from capturing indoor spaces or being situated in areas where privacy expectations are high, such as outdoor showers or saunas.
While hosts are allowed to employ doorbell cameras and noise decibel monitors, they must disclose their presence. Furthermore, these monitors are restricted to monitoring sound levels without recording or transmitting audio, and they can only be placed in common areas of the rental property.
With most Airbnb listings not indicating the presence of security cameras, the effects of this update are likely to be felt primarily by a smaller fraction of listings within the platform.
In addition to prohibiting indoor cameras, the updated policy introduces more comprehensive regulations regarding the usage of outdoor security cameras and similar devices, such as noise decibel monitors.
While devices like doorbell cameras and noise decibel monitors remain permissible on Airbnb, they offer hosts a privacy-conscious means of monitoring home security and preempting issues like unauthorized gatherings.
However, hosts must now disclose the existence and general placement of any outdoor cameras before guests make reservations.
Furthermore, these cameras are barred from surveilling indoor areas of a listing and are restricted from certain outdoor spaces with higher privacy expectations, such as enclosed outdoor showers or saunas.
Additionally, hosts are obligated to reveal the presence of noise decibel monitors, which solely gauge decibel levels without recording or transmitting audio, and are limited to common areas within listings.
Addressing Community Feedback
Airbnb's Head of Community Policy and Partnerships, Juniper Downs, emphasized the company's objective to introduce clear and updated regulations to provide users with a better understanding of Airbnb's expectations.
These changes were crafted in consultation with guests, hosts, and privacy experts, underscoring Airbnb's commitment to refining its policies based on community feedback.
Airbnb reserves the right to remove the listing or suspend the entire account of hosts who breach these regulations.
As you prepare for your spring travels, it's important to carefully review your rental listing for any information regarding cameras. Keep in mind that these new guidelines will come into effect on April 30th.
