Airbnb Announces Ban on Indoor Security Cameras

Airbnb has updated its security camera policy, now prohibiting the use of indoor security cameras in listings worldwide, starting April 30. This is to simplify Airbnb’s policy on security cameras while prioritizing the privacy of its community, the company says.

The company made this announcement in a blog post on its site on March 11, adding that it wants all hosts to have enough time to comply with the new policy. The company also made it clear in the announcement that the new change applies “regardless of the location, purpose, or prior disclosure” of the cameras.

“Airbnb allowed the use of indoor security cameras in common areas of listings, such as hallways and living rooms, 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,” the company says in the announcement.

“Our goal was to create new, clear rules that provide our community with greater clarity about what to expect on Airbnb. 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,” says Juniper Downs, Head of Community Policy and Partnerships at Airbnb.

The revised security camera policy also includes the removal of security cameras from outdoor spaces “where there’s a greater expectation of privacy, like an enclosed outdoor shower or sauna.” Listings with doorbell cameras and noise monitors must also disclose the presence of these installations and their location on the property before guests book.

Noise monitors can “assess decibel level only” and cannot “record or transmit sounds or conversations and are only allowed in common spaces of listings,” the company adds. Airbnb expects that these changes will only affect a smaller subset of listings on its platform since the majority of its hosts do not have surveillance cameras on their properties.

This policy update is not surprising, as Airbnb’s main competitor, Vrbo already banned indoor surveillance cameras back in 2022. Vrbo responded to Airbnb’s announcement in a statement to the Washington Post, saying the company is “glad to see our competitor on board with what we consider a base level of privacy for customers.”

Guests have reported undisclosed cameras in Airbnb listings, prompting the company to apologize to a guest in one such incident. Another case involving a hidden camera pointing to the bed was discovered in a Toronto Airbnb rental in 2020.

Airbnb may have finally been pushed to review its indoor camera policy after last month’s lawsuit involving an Airbnb host who took a security photo of her married guest in the company of another female and sent the image to the man’s wife after the guest left a negative review.