Privacy Problem? CNN Investigation Finds Airbnb Fails To Protect Guests From Hidden Cameras

Privacy Problem? CNN Investigation Finds Airbnb Fails To Protect Guests From Hidden Cameras

July 10, 2024 Bruce Parkinson

Some Airbnb hosts use hidden cameras to secretly spy on guests.

The company has acknowledged the fact in financial filings, but a CNN investigation says Airbnb has worked to keep the scope of the issue out of the public eye through arbitration, confidential settlements and employee non-disclosure agreements.

The media organization reviewed more than 2,000 pages of lawsuits and police records to learn more about the short-term rental industry’s hidden camera issue. CNN also spoke with nearly two dozen Airbnb guests who found surveillance devices at vacation rentals or were told by police that they had been secretly recorded.

The results of the CNN investigation suggest that the use of hidden cameras is a persistent problem in the industry. It says regulations are sparse and the punishments for those that commit these crimes are lenient.

The results can be traumatic for guests, however, with some saying they suffer from long-term trauma and the fear that their images – especially when naked or engaged in sexual activities — could show up on the internet at any time.

An Airbnb spokesperson told CNN that hidden camera complaints are rare, but when they do occur, “we take appropriate, swift action, which can include removing hosts and listings that violate the policy.”

But the CNN investigation points out that at a court deposition in the U.S., Airbnb refused to specify how many unique hidden camera complaints had been made in the past decade. A representative testified that the company generated 35,000 “customer support tickets” about surveillance devices, but said a single report could create multiple tickets.

In the deposition, the Airbnb representative downplayed the significance of the number of tickets, testifying that they could reflect instances such as a malfunctioning doorbell camera or a tablet with recording capabilities left out on a coffee table. But again, the representative did not provide any statistics detailing the number of claims that Airbnb deemed innocuous.

You can read and watch video of the full CNN story here.