JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Vacation rental company Airbnb announced that it will ban the use of cameras inside its listings regardless of their location, purpose, or prior disclosure.
Airbnb used to allow indoor cameras in common areas like hallways and living rooms as long as it was disclosed on the listing page before booking. Those cameras had to be clearly visible and not in spaces like bedrooms or bathrooms.
One Airbnb guest said the ban would make her feel more comfortable.
“I feel like a lot of the movies and TV shows I’ve seen, it makes me like kind of worried about it,” Skylar Woods said.
Cameras on the outside are still allowed. Hosts have to disclose if they are there before guests book.
A News4JAX Insider said they have privacy concerns with vacation rentals.
“I am concerned the owners are seeing too much of our private lives. It is ok for them to record outside, but inside is a big no-no. And if they are concerned, they should video before and after your stay,” An Insider said.
Woods said the Airbnb hosts may be uncomfortable if someone is doing something they shouldn’t be doing.
“You’ll always have their information if something is broken or something like that,” Woods said.
Theo Fulger is an Airbnb host in Jacksonville Beach and said it feels like an invasion of your privacy.
“We have rental homeowner’s insurance, which covers items like that and then Airbnb has their own insurance,” Fulger said.
Fulger also said he has heard of situations where he thinks it’s necessary to prohibit security cameras inside the property.
“I think it’s necessary, just because as a property owner, once you turn it into an investment property, I feel like you kind of relinquish your rights to monitor the tenants on the inside,” Fulger said.
Airbnb said the majority of their listings don’t report having a security camera and the update is expected to impact a smaller group of listings on the platform.