Airbnb Tightens Rules on Security Cameras in Rental Properties

Airbnb has recently updated its policy on the use of surveillance cameras in rented properties. By the end of April, it will be prohibited for owners to install cameras indoors. This marks a change from the previous regulations, which allowed indoor cameras as long as their presence was disclosed on the booking page.

The move is designed to clarify rules and protect the privacy of guests. However, the timing of the announcement, just one week after a sketch on the American talk show Saturday Night Live, has raised eyebrows. The skit featured two women praising the decor of Airbnb properties and suggesting the potential for a camera in the bathroom.

Previous Regulations and Violations

Under the old rules, cameras were not permitted in bedrooms and bathrooms, but not all landlords adhered to these restrictions. For instance, a Dutch landlord was sentenced to community service and a fine in 2017 for filming guests in his toilet. Three French women who rented his property in Hoofddorp discovered the camera and reported it.

Incidents of hidden cameras in showers or phone chargers beside beds were also reported in the United States and England last year. Other landlords had installed cameras in hallways or living rooms, which was allowed under the previous rules.

New Rules

Going forward, only outdoor security cameras will be allowed, and these must not be pointed towards the interior of the house. Cameras at outdoor showers or saunas are also banned.

Airbnb suggests that the measure will only affect a small fraction of its five million landlords, as not many have installed cameras.