A Survey Found That 1 in 10 U.S. Airbnb Users Have Found Hidden Cameras in Their Rental
Airbnb has been under fire lately after numerous reports of hidden cameras found in some of the rentals were brought to the public's attention. As creepy and privacy-invading as it sounds, apparently it happens a lot more often than we originally thought.
According to a survey of 2,000 American Airbnb users conducted by IPX1031, 58% of respondents reveal that they worry about the presence of hidden cameras in their rental, while 11% of them have actually found devices in their Airbnb.
This means that an average of 1 in 10 Airbnb users from the States say they've found a hidden camera somewhere in the rental during their stay-which sounds beyond scary. The survey points out that some Airbnb hosts might not be using it for malicious reasons, and that around 25% of respondents said that they're okay with security cameras in common areas, like the living room or kitchen. After all, Airbnb hosts are letting complete strangers into their homes to spend the night. But, cameras in private spaces like bedrooms and bathrooms are a huge no-no for those looking to rent some space.
The most recent instance of a suspicious hidden camera located in an Airbnb occurred in Ireland. A family realized that they were secretly being filmed from a device that was hidden inside of a smoke alarm. Of course, after they realized this, they were able to relocate to a nearby hotel for the remainder of their stay.
As for Airbnb's policy regarding recording devices, hosts must disclose the information about any cameras found in common areas of the rental-but cameras found in private areas are strictly prohibited. So to be on the super safe side, be sure to ask if it's not mentioned in the listing.
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