Unfair. Ineffective.
There are so many posts about this.
AirBNB, as hosts, we can't believe the lack of value to host property and safety that this ban represents.
We purchased and installed our indoor hallway camera five years ago in direct response to *many* suggestions from our AirBNB guests that they wanted to experience more security at our place. So this ban affects the livelihoods of many, as so many other posts have noted.
As long as the camera is disclosed, a guest knows when their actions might be viewed and/or recorded. Any host who uses that technology in unethical ways are probably going to find other ways to cause harm. Resources would be much better spent pre-screening hosts more rigorously, and developing better strategies to weed out the bad ones. At least that might actually decrease the number of scary AirBNB stories that make it into the news, unlike this blanket decision that doesn't solve any of the underlying problems.
As for the potential of vindictive and/or greedy privacy violation lawsuits brought against AirBNB, this ban is only a short-term quick fix. Given the success of your company, the minds that brought us the "simplification" of this policy change seem to be thinking in a shockingly naive and reactionary way. Here's hoping you can serve your host and guest customers by pivoting to policies more responsive to the *very real* complexities of privacy and safety in our society.
