Airbnb announced its global ban on the use of indoor cameras at its vacation rental listings following concerns of spying, while unveiling its new policy for outdoor monitoring.
The updated policy will go into effect April 30, giving hosts time to comply with the company's new stricter regulations, it announced Monday.
Indoor security cameras were previously permitted in common areas, 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 stated, adding that the reform of their camera policy streamlines their "approach and makes clear that security cameras are not allowed inside listings, regardless of their location, purpose or prior disclosure."
"Our goal was to create new, clear rules that provide our community with greater clarity about what to expect on Airbnb," Head of Community Policy and Partnerships, Juniper Downs, said in a statement. "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."
Outdoor doorbell cameras and noise decibel monitoring systems will continue to be permitted in an effort to prevent unauthorized parties, however their general locations are required to be disclosed before guests book.
Decibel monitors are only allowed in common areas, according to Airbnb.
While some hosts previously stated indoor cameras allowed them "peace of mind," according to Business Insider, some guests argued it was an invasion of privacy.
In 2023, authorities in Maryland slapped Airbnb host Larry Goisse, 39, with several privacy charges in connection with a hidden camera allegedly concealed in smoke detector and discovered by guests staying at his Silver Spring, Maryland rental, WRC-TV previously reported.
