The short-term rental housing platform Airbnb on Monday, March 11, announced that it prohibits the use of indoor security cameras on premises around the world.
The mentioned company has in the past allowed hosts to install internal surveillance cameras in common areas. In this case, permission was granted only on condition that the presence of the mentioned devices would be indicated in the text on the listing page. The company also required homeowners to install indoor security cameras in visible spots in their homes. At the same time, Airbnb did not allow devices to be placed in spaces such as bathrooms and sleeping areas.
The company’s decision announced on Monday stipulates that surveillance cameras are now prohibited in any format of use. In this case, factors such as the location of the device and its purpose do not matter. Also, prior notification of indoor surveillance cameras no longer grants homeowners the right to apply it.
Juniper Downs, head of Airbnb’s community policy and partnerships unit, said in a post posted on the company’s blog on Monday that the virtual platform is committed to creating new, clear rules that will provide the corporate community with greater clarity about what to expect on the firm. She also noted that the new policy was created in consultation with guests, hosts, and privacy experts. This fact means that the firm takes into account the opinions of the corporate community when solving fundamentally important issues of its activities.
Currently, most listings on Airbnb do not report having of a security camera. This means that a change in the concept of corporate policy will affect a small subset of hosts.
Homeowners who currently have indoor surveillance cameras must remove them by April 30. In case of violation of this requirement, the company will use liability measures against those who decide to disregard the updated corporate policy. In this case, solutions such as, for example, deleting an account on a virtual platform are possible.
Outdoor security cameras such as doorbell cameras are still allowed on Airbnb. At the same time, owners of homes equipped with appropriate devices will have to inform guests about the presence and general location of any cameras before booking.
It is worth noting that Airbnb customers have repeatedly complained about indoor tracking devices. One of the US TV channels even shot a humorous video about surveillance cameras in the homes of those who place ads about their readiness to receive guests on Airbnb.
The virtual platform for finding short-term rental housing was founded in 2008. The company is based in San Francisco. Airbnb provides users with the opportunity to short-term rent housing around the world, including in the safest city in Canada or on the sunniest coast.
In December 2020, the company went public. During the initial public offering of shares, the firm raised $3.5 billion.
The company has repeatedly faced criticism from representatives of the hotel business. In this case, the claims relate to the impact of Airbnb on competition and corporate rules in force on the virtual platform.
