Airbnb
announced
in
March
that
all
indoor
security
cameras
would
be
banned
at
its
properties
worldwide
starting
April
30.
And
if
you
read
through
online
complaints
about
cameras
that
were
discovered
during
Airbnb
stays
over
the
years,
it’s
easy
to
understand
why
it’s
been
such
a
controversial
issue.
Gizmodo filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the FTC for any consumer complaints filed about Airbnb that involved cameras. Some of the complaints are fairly mundane, and simply mention how cameras may have been used to prove things that break the rules at Airbnb properties. But others are pretty horrifying and involve hidden cameras in places where people expect privacy.
One of the complaints from someone in Seattle who was visiting South Korea in 2023 reads, “During the course of our stay we discovered that the camera at the entrance that was only supposed to record the front door actually had 360 recording capabilities in addition to audio and night mode.”
Another complaint from 2022 alleges that an Airbnb host “confessed” to having cameras, “in every inch of this house,” including the bedrooms. When the guest told the host that it was illegal, he allegedly replied, “sue me then.”
Still, another complaint from 2023 explains, “My husband and I had a romantic moment on the sofa and we believe they had cameras inside the house and recorded us.” The complaint continues by expressing concern that intimate acts could’ve been recorded and seen by people outside the home.
One of the weirder stories comes from someone who alleges their family was being watched by cameras in their Airbnb property and was complaining amongst themselves, only to receive a text message from the host discussing their private conversation.
Hidden
cameras
have
always
been
banned
at
Airbnb,
but
cameras
in
public
areas
like
living
rooms
were
allowed.
Airbnb
will
officially
ban
all
indoor
cameras
at
its
properties
worldwide
at
the
end
of
this
month.
And
the
company
points
out
that
there’s
been
at
least
one
case
in
the
past
when
someone
thought
they
found
a
hidden
camera,
but
it
was
actually
just
a
wall
outlet.
“We enforce strict policies governing the use of security cameras on Airbnb, including recently announcing a ban on indoor cameras in listings and more comprehensive rules for outdoor cameras,” an Airbnb spokesperson told Gizmodo via email. “When a potential violation of our policies is reported to us, we take that seriously, provide support for our community, investigate the allegations, and may suspend or remove users or listings. With over 1.5 billion check-ins on Airbnb to date, issues are incredibly rare.”
Gizmodo received 111 complaints stretching back five years and we’ve published a sample of those complaints below. The FTC has redacted personal information, which is standard practice in these kinds of FOIA requests, making it impossible to independently verify each claim. Gizmodo has added emphasis in the areas of each complaint that mention cameras and we’ve made very light edits for capitalization and punctuation just for legibility. The substance of the complaints hasn’t been changed.
“The seller confessed to me that, ‘I have cameras in every inch of this house...’”
December 2023 Consumer location: Montgomery, AlabamaOn December 27, 2022 I booked a reservation on Airbnb with the seller [redacted]. The confirmation code is [redacted]. This was booked a year ago, I am only writing a complaint now because recently I learnt how how disgusting and creepy the seller is. To start off, when I first checked in to this Airbnb everything looked perfect to the naked eye. The seller welcomed me in and started some unwanted conversation. I didn’t mind because some people just don’t know that they aren’t liked and they are bothering people.
My
debit
card
ending
in
[redacted]
was
charged
$428.41
on
December
27,
2022.
The
amount
covered
14
nights
and
whatever
fees
Airbnb
covers.
To
get
to
the
main
point
of
this
complaint
is
the
seller
confessed
a
confession
to
me
and
this
confession
reveals
how
creepy
the
seller
turned
out
to
be.
The
seller
confessed
to
me
that,
“I
have
cameras
in
every
inch
of
this
house”??
This
included
the
bedrooms,
etc.
When
I
told
him
it’s
illegal
and,
he
replied,
“sue
me
then.”
According
to
Airbnb,
I
understand
that
camera
are
not
allowed
unless
they
are
disclosed
in
the
listing.
They
were
not,
if
the
were,
do
you
think
I
would
have
booked?
So
the
seller
has
been
breaking
the
rules.
I
think
Airbnb
should
take
disciplinary
action
against
the
seller
[redacted]
and
since
the
listing
wasn’t
as
described
I
should
be
refunded.
I
can’t
just
help
but
just
look
back
at
the
times
I
was
just
chilling
in
my
bedroom
or
wherever
and
the
creep
[redacted]
was
just
watching
me.
“We noticed the camera had fully turned around...”
October 2023 Consumer location: Seattle, WashingtonMy friends and I booked an Airbnb for a wedding in April 2023. The wedding took place Sept 21-26 in Seoul during which time we had booked this accommodation. Upon checking in we suspected that the Airbnb was not legally registered but as there was no other accommodation to be found for our group we had no choice but to stay.
During the course of our stay we discovered that the camera at the entrance that was only supposed to record the front door actually had 360 recording capabilities in addition to audio and night mode. We noticed the camera had fully turned around and was now illegally recording into the living room and a private bathroom/bathing space without our consent. We raised the issue with the host and Airbnb and asked for the footage, which she refused to provide.
My understanding is that in South Korea (as well as in the US where Airbnb is a registered business) recording anyone without their consent is a federal violation, much less illegally recording them while nude in a bathing space. The unit in question is located at: [redacted]
Airbnb has refused to issue a full refund despite the Federal Privacy Law and its own privacy policy violations. In addition, despite being provided with evidence showing the cameras 360 recording capabilities, along with night mode and audio recording, as well as pictures showing the camera lens’s direct line of vision into a bathroom with glass walls and a private living space, Airbnb has failed to produce any of the footage recorded during our stay. This is fraud in additional to a criminal offense as members of our party were illegally recorded while bathing without their consent.
“But when my friend covered the camera inside the room to take a shower, the landlord cast them out...”
June 2023 Consumer location: Jersey City, New JerseyI booked Airbnb from June 14 to June 18 for my friends to live in New York City. The total amount is $1,211.93. The confirmation number is [redacted]. However, this apartment we rent was dirty. There are used masks hanged there, trash not cleaned, bathroom is so dirty that my friend spend half hour to clean. The bed sheet was pilling, and there were only two pillows for four people. The blankets were unfolded and put in the closet carelessly. Plus, there is a camera tightening on a chair INSIDE the room to watch a closet. I contacted Airbnb the next day and wanted to cancel this trip but failed. The Airbnb said it hadn’t touched their ground line. But when my friend covered the camera inside the room to take a shower, the landlord cast them out by threatening to call the police for they violate the house rules. What I want is to get the money of remaining two nights back. I tried to contact Airbnb, but they said the landlord refuse to return the money, and they can’t do anything about it. So I have to ask HELP from BBB. What I want is to get the two nights money back, which is $500.
“I never said anything to them about not enjoying my stay, just to my family in the home.”
October 2020Consumer location: Memphis, Tennessee
Airbnb
has
host
that
are
watching
and
listening
to
their
guest.
I
was
told
the
security
camera
with
no
audio
was
for
security
purposes
only,
but
I
get
a
text
message
about
the
blankets
that
were
on
the
couch
my
son
was
sleeping
on.
Later
we
were
discussing
our
discomfort
for
the
place
and
how
we
felt
we
were
being
watched,
we
get
another
text
message,
while
attending
a
wedding,
about
how
they
apologize
that
we
didn’t
enjoy
our
stay.
I
never
said
anything
to
them
about
not
enjoying
my
stay,
just
to
my
family
in
the
home.
That
type
of
stuff
isn’t
right,
and
to
come
cut
a
yard
that
was
already
cut
just
did
it
for
me.
Do
not
rent
out
your
home
if
you
don’t
want
people
in
it,
or
was
it
because
we
were
black?
I
don’t
know,
but
Airbnb
needs
to
do
something
and
they
are
not
taking
this
serious.
I
never
had
these
type
of
problems
with
booking.com.
“The listing did NOT disclose cameras in the bedrooms...”
July 2019Consumer location: Queens, New York
I stayed in a rental property listed on Airbnb in St. Peterburg, Russia from July 11th until July 17th. Once we got to the apartment, we learned that every room in the apartment, excluding the bathrooms, had cameras. The devices were identical in every room. When someone would walk underneath the camera, a small red light would go on. Additionally, we heard a slight shutter sound, as if a shutter was opening in the eye. I contacted Airbnb who conducted an investigation. The results were as follows:
-The listing disclosed cameras in the [redacted] common areas, [redacted] such as the hallway. (The living room had a camera which was not disclosed)
- The listing did NOT disclose cameras in the bedrooms, as having cameras in the bedrooms would violate Airbnb’s rules
- Airbnb concluded that the devices in the bedroom were NOT recording devices. Additionally, they said that the devices in the bedrooms were DIFFERENT from the devices in the rest of the apartment.
What I want to understand is the following:
- How did Airbnb conclude that the devices were different? Did they conduct an on-site investigation? I not only have photo proof of the cameras, the cameras can also be plainly seen in the listing’s photos. The devices were identical in every room.
- If Airbnb concluded that the devices in the bedroom were NOT surveillance devices, what are they? IN ADDITION to the apartment having cameras, we were charged a $119.20 cleaning fee per night, a total of The host did NOT clean the apartment during our entire duration of the stay. We should not have been charged for this.
Airbnb refunded me for one nights’ worth of stay at $175.04. I am requesting the following:
- A refund for the entire duration of the stay, $1252.98.
- AT THE VERY LEAST, if this investigation doesn’t unearth any additional information due to Airbnb’s refusal to share information about the investigation, I’m requesting a refund for the cleaning fee of $119.20 considering no cleaning took place.
- I’m also requesting that my review of my stay be posted. Currently Airbnb does not allow users to post reviews of their stay UNTIL THE HOST also submits of review of the user. As you can imagine, the host will not review me because she doesn’t want people to have a negative review on her listing: The listing not only mentions the cameras, but also talks about her sub-par performance as a host. People need to know that there are cameras in the bedrooms: Airbnb’s investigation is shady and if you do a simple Google search, you will see that many other people have had this issue. The host does not have any negative reviews. I find it hard to believe that she’s had multiple people staying at her apartment without anyone noticing (or CARING) about the fact that there were cameras in the bedrooms. Airbnb is not posting my review due to their tit-for-tat review system, which is a generally unfair system overall. It does not encourage the users to be open an honest, because if they leave a negative review, they will receive a negative one in return.
“Adding to the discomfort and violation of our privacy, we also discovered that there was a camera inside the property.”
May 2023 Waterdown, OntarioI am writing to share an experience like no other that I recently had with an Airbnb property and its owner. My family (myself, my wife, our son and dog) booked a property on Airbnb for a 5 week getaway, but upon arrival, we found ourselves in an unsafe neighborhood that made us feel uncomfortable and uneasy. We raised our concerns with the owner, but they refused to acknowledge the issue and claimed that the area was perfectly safe.
Due to our concerns about safety, we made the difficult decision not to stay in the property. However, when we reached out to discuss a refund for our stay, the owner refused to provide any sort of compensation and insisted on keeping our entire payment of $4,800.
Adding to the discomfort and violation of our privacy, we also discovered that there was a camera inside the property. This was not disclosed in the listing or during the booking process, which made us feel even more uneasy about our experience. The owner insisted it was broken, but we couldn’t help but wonder were there more cameras?
What’s even more concerning is that the owner was able to rent the property to other parties during the time of our stay. Airbnb allowed them to keep our money, effectively allowing them to make double the amount for the same period (we have screenshots of this).
This experience has left us feeling frustrated and disappointed with Airbnb, as well as concerned for the safety and well-being of other travelers who may encounter similar situations. It’s unacceptable for an Airbnb host to dismiss the concerns of their guests, refuse to come to a reasonable solution, and withhold payment for a service that was not rendered.
I hope that sharing this experience with CBC News will help raise [redacted] about the importance of safety and transparency in the Airbnb industry, and encourage Airbnb to take appropriate action to ensure that their hosts prioritize the well-being of their guests.
We have tried tirelessly to get some sort of compensation through Airbnb, the host and our credit card company (they reversed the charge but Airbnb did a chargeback)
Anything you can do to assist or recommended would be appreciated.
“My husband and I had a romantic moment on the sofa and we believe they had cameras inside the house and recorded us”
February 2023 Consumer location: Michigan
We
rented
a
cabin
in
Maggie
Valley
for
3
nights
from
Dec
23-Dec
26.
We
were
a
large
group
of
friend
and
family
with
3
cabins
rented.
Upon
arrival
we
decided
to
share
a
meal
together
at
our
cabin.
Shortly
I
start
receiving
calls
from
the
host
who
said
there
are
13
ppl
in
his
cabin
while
the
listing
states
clearly
only
4.
I
apologized
and
explained
that
we
only
wanted
to
share
a
meal
all
together
but
I
understand
and
everyone
will
leave
immediately.
He
was
on
the
speaker
so
everyone
stood
up
and
left.
Shortly
I
received
another
call
from
his
wife,
demanding
a
FaceTime
call
so
she
can
see
the
place.
I
answered
and
made
a
tour
of
the
place
where
she
could
see
we
were
the
only
ppl
in
the
cabin.
But
she
was
not
satisfied
with
that,
she
started
insulting
us
and
treating
us
that
she
would
call
the
police
she
will
evacuate
us
and
she
will
not
give
us
any
money
back.
After
10
minutes
of
screaming
her
husband
has
to
take
the
phone
from
her
and
hang
up
not
before
telling
us
he
doesn’t
want
to
see
not
even
1
extra
person
at
his
property.
When
asked,
he
admitted
they
have
camera
outside
the
cabin.
In
all
this
conversation,
my
children
were
scared
and
afraid
that
we
will
have
to
leave
and
find
another
place.
That
night
the
temperature
was
1F
(-18C)
and
we
put
the
thermostat
at
80
degrees.
Next
morning
we
found
the
thermostat
blocked
with
a
PIN
number
(which
we
didn’t
know)
at
72F.
The
host
never
send
us
any
message
or
anything,
simply
invaded
our
privacy
and
blocked
the
temperature.
My
son
got
sick
and
started
bleeding
from
his
nose
so
we
had
to
boil
water
so
he
can
inhale
the
steam
in
order
to
breath
from
the
vapor
and
the
steam
the
handle
from
the
microwave
above
the
stove
got
bubbled.
The
host
placed
a
damage
request
for
$150
and
few
days
later
another
one
for
$150
cleaning
the
sofa.
We
repeatedly
asked
Airbnb
to
tell
us
what
proof
they
have
for
charging
us
$150
deep
cleaning
the
sofa
but
no
answer
was
received.
They
charged
the
card
$300.
My
husband
and
I
had
a
romantic
moment
on
the
sofa
and
we
believe
they
had
cameras
inside
the
house
and
recorded
us.
We
are
scared
that
someone
recorded
us
and
could
use
this
and
even
watching
it.
“There was a camera inside the house inside the garage filming us...”
November 2023 Consumer location: Scottsdale, ArizonaWe rented an Airbnb through the platform a house for rent in Scottsdale for $8,500 and when we arrived to the house there was a camera inside the house inside the garage filming us. We were disturbed and notified the host. Upon entering the house there was a very strong smell of chemicals throughout the house. We tried to air it out by leaving the door open but it wouldn’t go away. We attempted at this point to cancel the reservation because of health concerns over the toxic smell as well as being uncomfortable with the camera inside the garage.
The host attempted to “solve these problems” but did not do so. The smell did not go away, and we did not feel safe in the house. We were forced to rent another home. We involved Airbnb to get a refund since the host refused to issue us a refund. Airbnb ignored us and kept me on hold on 3 seperate calls for 45 mins - 1 hour each time completely ignoring our severe situation. After several messages they only replied 12 days later. They disregarded our severe situations and refused to give us a refund. We never stayed in the house for even 1 nights and they would not return our money $8,500.
After multiple attempts to contact them they refuse to do anything about it and lie to us telling us they can’t do anything about it because it’s the hosts refund policy. We have used them for 7 years and know for sure they can intervene in these situations and force the hosts to issue a refund. Especially when it involves health and privacy / security issue. We were discriminated against and stonewalled. They effectively allowed this host to steal $8,500 dollars from us. We notified them on day 1 as soon as it happened. As well as the host. They refused to cancel or refund us and continued lying and making excuses why they had to keep our money.
“My daughter has dealt with past trauma that included cameras and this really hit home for us.”
October 2020 Consumer location: Austin, TexasMy family and I booked a stay for a party of 7 to what we thought would be the perfect place for our overnight stay in Houston. Upon arriving, we noticed there were two security cameras placed in the apartment (they claimed it was a penthouse). One was outside the front door and the other was in the living room. We would not have booked this stay had we known we would be watched. My daughter has dealt with past trauma that included cameras and this really hit home for us. When I reached out to Airbnb Support, I explained my situation and let the Support Representative know about our issue via email. I explained that we would not have booked this stay had we known about the cameras. He shared their policy with me and told us the host listed the use of security cameras in the Health and Safety portion of the listing. The policy specifically stated the security cameras should have been disclosed in the House Rules which it was not. I sent screenshots of the same policy the rep sent me where it clearly said it should be mentioned in the House Rules and I was told that it was disclosed in the listing period. There was no sympathy or regard for our experience even after explaining why this affected us so much. Airbnb was not willing to work with us whatsoever and dismissed my obvious claims of an incorrect listing of security cameras within the apartment we booked. I requested a refund and was ignored. The policy specifically states the cameras should be disclosed in the House Rules. We would not have booked this stay had we known about the cameras. This caused my oldest daughter and I a lot of emotional [redacted].
Have
you
had
an
experience
with
Airbnb
or
any
other
tech
platform
that
you’d
like
to
share?
Drop
me
a
line
at