New security camera policy is unreasonable

[Conrad76]

I presume all hosts received an email from Airbnb about security cameras, in which it says, "You’re not allowed to have cameras that monitor indoor spaces." That is completely unfair. The basic Abode security system that I have has a motion sensor with a camera that takes a snapshot if the sensor is triggered when the alarm is on, to get a picture of who or what is moving in the hallway. I disclose this in my listing, and I have a small curtain that guests can pull to cover the camera if they are concerned about privacy. Airbnb is essentially forcing me to get a different security system. How are other hosts dealing with this?

[Dale71]

Indeed, this policy needs to be amended to allow cameras in common areas if you have a shared space indicated on your listing.

This is for the safety of guests and hosts.

Totally unacceptable

[Guy991]

@Dale71 ,

I agree with you regarding shared spaces and security, especially for the other guests when there is a common area. Please turn your comment into a post to emphasize that the rule needs to be amended.

[Sherri176]

Totally agree with you. There is zero expectation of privacy in a shared living room and shared kitchen when the guest rents a room. Great rule for hosts who rent out the whole house though. Interesting though....if you have a motel or hotel you can list the rooms for rent on airbnb and you get to keep the cameras in the lobby. Maybe consider my living room is my lobby. I rent out my 2 guest rooms to mid term and long terms renters. I live in the house in the master. Can't believe I have to take my 2 cameras down in my shared spaces.

[Conrad76]

I contacted Airbnb support with my complaint and got back a long but probably templated response. I encourage the rest of you hosts who are upset by this policy change to also file complaints -- maybe if many hosts do that it will get their attention.

[Sissi36]

We got similar long and no content answer. It looks like a Chatgpt wrote.

[Dawn241]

I don’t have a shared space, however, I was wondering about hosts that do, you used to be allowed to have cameras in the kitchen and garage, just not bedrooms or bathrooms. You don’t want someone leaving in the middle of the night with your groceries and tools. It will be interesting to see if they amend the new policy. 

[Helen3]

I'm a homeshare host and it's never crossed my mind to have indoor/outdoor cameras .

why would you assume guests are likely to sneak away  during the night with your food and tools? 😀

[Will3749]

Greetings, I think you give humans too much credit, I have seen some pretty weird stuff at my listing, just saying. From people eating others food to doing thing that I cannot even type here. Mind you this a shared listing with 3 bedrooms so they are almost never alone in the home

[Dawn241]

Because there are hosts that posted on this board that has happened to them, no assuming. 

[Share0]

Try living in America. Lol.

[Richard3254]

Helen, I'm not concerned about about my food however, I have thousands of dollars in tools, over $200,000 in vehicles in my garage, over $250,000 in assets inside my $1.5 million home and property and most importantly, I have the safety of my wife, my service dog and the guests in mind so I don't want my rights to protect my property and the people I share it with to be infringed by AirBnB or any other party no matter the $ value.

The only people I know, who aren't interested in having surveillance cameras, are naive people and nefarious minded people such as the one who broke into my wife's car just over a month ago and one of my cameras captured which the police were very happy about.

Maybe you don't take your safety, your family's safety, the safety of your guests or your possessions serious however, I believe there's many like me that do and AirBnB has not right to deny anyone the right to protection as I stated above.

[Abi010]

Why did most people on this platform thinks, having a camera in one's property is to spy on guest, what of security to ward off intended bugglers, I am a live in host and having camera outside my home act as a deterent for jugglers, not just for guest. 

This is a time, we should all agree, so that Airbnb will be forced to review their draconian policy. 

Do people not book an hotel or go to the hospital because it has cameras.  Please let's be real and face this head on

[Abi010]

I meant it act as a deterent for bugglers,and not jugglers,  typo error 

[Anoop16]

Agreed

[Jency2]

Here in NYC we can only STR our homes we live in. As much as I don't want anyone taking my groceries or tools, I'm more concerned with someone taking my daughter's artwork and her supplies or worse entering her bedroom. I live in Brooklyn so I had ring cameras before starting airbnb. Also my outdoor camera captures every passerby, every car but not all of my guests. I rely on my hallway camera notifications when someone enters my house. I've caught so many guests trying to sneak in extra people. Because of the hallway cameras, I've been able to see several guests leave our doors wide open. Luckily because of the notification I can close them right away. We would never notice it with the outdoor I also installed a ring camera in my daughter's art room after we noticed someone sitting in her chair using her computer and guests have left drinks on  her art table. Even Though I've raised my prices and try my best to get good guests, some still have tried to open her door and go through her stuff.