Great News: Airbnb FINALLY Bans Hosts From Having Cameras Inside Of Property While Guest Are There
Source - Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras from its listings around the world, and hosts have until the end of next month to comply, the lodging rental platform said on Monday.
The company previously allowed those looking to rent out their places use indoor security cameras in common areas so long as the devices were clearly disclosed on the listing page and the cameras were installed in easy-to-see places. Such cameras, which were were barred from bedrooms and bathrooms, are now prohibited inside any Airbnb listing regardless of their ostensible purpose or visibility.
"These changes were made in consultation with our guests, hosts and privacy experts," Juniper Downs, Airbnb's head of community policy and partnerships, said in a statement announcing the policy.
Homeowners listing properties on Airbnb that use indoor security cameras have until April 30 to remove them, the San Francisco company said. Those that don't comply face potentially having their listing or account removed from the platform.
Ahh Airbnb. A service where you can live in someone else's filth for a fraction of the price of a hotel. A company that spends millions of dollars to hide the fact that guests are getting robbed, raped, and sometimes murdered while using their service. Don't believe me? Google it. They have an entire team devoted to making bad stories disappear. Which is why it's so shocking that they're taking a step in the right direction when it comes to privacy. To be honest I didn't even know that cameras were allowed inside the house until a few summers ago down at the Jersey Shore. We were at the Barstool house and the owner straight up walked in because he "saw it was messy." Low and behold he had been watching us on the cameras and didn't like the way we were taking out trash. It was SUPER creepy, but I'm sure it's nothing compared to what other people have gone through.
Here are some more details...
The update is not expected to impact most listings on Airbnb, according to the company, which started in 2017 and which now counts more than 5 million hosts as using its technology.
Outdoor security devices, such as doorbell cameras, are still allowed, but their location needs to be disclosed to would-be guests before they sign the dotted line, Airbnb said.
Advances in technology have heightened concerns about consumer privacy, with the Federal Trade Commission among the agencies sounding the alarm about the myriad ways that personal information is collected and sold to third-party vendors.
So yeah, they've got until April 30th to remove all indoor cameras. That said, I'd still do a sweep of the place before you get too comfortable. Chances are the people who have cameras inside also have them in places you wouldn't expect. Now here's a clip of Tim Dillon talking going to war with Airbnb. Enjoy!
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