Airbnb Has A ‘Hidden Camera’ Problem

If you use Airbnb for your vacation or business travel needs, this story is for you.

Travel :
The premise behind Airbnb is that owners rent out their personal homes or income property rentals for (usually) short-term stays. The units are fully furnished with all utilities included in the rate and effectively become large ‘hotel suites’ with a kitchen for travelers seeking more than just a standard hotel room. However, claiming that renters will come into their homes to steal or create damage, some homeowners have installed hidden cameras around their properties to allegedly catch any wrongdoing or breaking of their rules — which is a legal no-no and a violation of Airbnb’s terms of service.

So, has the threat of being turned in to police for secretly recording strangers or getting into hot water with Airbnb stopped owners from making secret recordings? NOPE! NOPE!! NOPE!!!

Surprisingly, guests who use the short-term rental giant have filed tons of lawsuits against the company after discovering they’d been clandestinely recorded while in bed, in the shower, or even while having sex. The reason the general public never hears about it is that Airbnb has frequently offered quick cash settlements to guests to effectively shut them up and make their cases go away.

According to CNN, an Airbnb representative testified at a court-ordered deposition early last year that the company generated tens of thousands of customer support tickets related to surveillance devices in just the last decade.

One such case involved a woman who was secretly recorded undressing at a rental property. Her naked images were stored on the computer of an alleged sexual predator who had been accused of spying on unsuspecting renters for years.

“This is not my Social Security number or my email address. This is my naked body,” said another woman whose host secretly recorded her having sex with her husband at a cottage in Texas.

The couple received a financial settlement from the company, but said they felt “dirty” signing a confidentiality agreement.

“We were gagged.”

After spotting a listing for a romantic getaway property with numerous positive reviews and a host who had earned Airbnb’s coveted “superhost” status, David Wyzynajtys and his girlfriend booked the property for a weekend in July 2021. However, after checking in, Wyzynajtys noticed something strange: a hidden camera plugged into the wall that pointed directly at the bed.

“The scariest moment of my life,” he recalled.

A CNN investigation revealed that Airbnb consistently fails to protect its guests despite knowing hidden cameras are rampant within its industry. This news came after thousands of images were recovered from short-term rental hosts by law enforcement officials. Hidden cameras placed in bedrooms and bathrooms showed guests during their most private moments. Court and police records (as well as interviews with nearly 2 dozen guests who discovered surveillance devices at short-term rental properties or were told by police they had been secretly recorded) have exposed the severity of the problem.

With summer travel going full speed ahead, what can you do to ensure your privacy while staying at an Airbnb property? INSPECT. INSPECT. INSPECT.

In case you’re unaware, technology has allowed surveillance cameras to now be as small as a pin and operated wirelessly from an inconspicuous location in the home. They can be easily installed inside a bedside clock, a random charger plugged into an outlet, or even a smoke alarm. Some may be inside an air vent or built into a mirror.

When you arrive at a short-term rental property, it’s smart to go around the room and see if anything looks out of place. Look behind books, inside fake plants, and mixed in around misc. brick-a-brack. Check outlets and smoke detectors. Turn that bedside clock toward the wall and away from you.

Additionally, you can turn off all the lights and open the camera app on your phone. Then, slowly scan the room while looking at the screen in real-time. If a camera is present in the room, you’ll likely see it as a reflection in your camera app. Other tips on spotting a hidden camera can be found HERE.

If you ever find a hidden camera in a rental property, it’s best to call authorities first to lodge a report. Your 2nd call should be to Airbnb for a refund and a rebooking elsewhere. However, be prepared for them to cover it up by making you an “offer” you can’t refuse just to remain silent.

And, of course, that helps no one but Airbnb.

OK WASSUP! discusses Travel News:
Airbnb and their hidden camera controversy.