New indoor camera policy

[Steve2584]

I just spoke with support about this and they said that an indoor camera in a shared space of my home where I live and where I rent 3 rooms individually, IS acceptable, since the guest hasn't booked the entire place and therefore no expected privacy exists in an area that myself or other guests could be at any given time. They gave me the reference number of my recorded call to use if any future issues arise regarding guests possibly trying to complain. Seems they just felt it easier to word it as they did to avoid public backlash by adding any "except for's".....

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Steve2584 Sadly support usually/often get things wrong. The policy clearly says they are not allowed but perhaps Airbnb has come to its senses - I fear this is not the case though.

[Till-and-Jutta0]

I'm not sure if the support knows the new policy from 1 April.

[Jessica3739]

I have spoken with them within the last hour and they advised me as above. I have had them confirm this in writing as well. If they back track it won’t be a very good look…

[Quincy]

Hello @Steve2584, thank you for sharing your experience with us. Seems like there's some confusion. As per the security camera policy update, this policy applies to all types of listings globally. Please note that security cameras are not allowed to be placed inside or to monitor any indoor spaces of a listing, and this includes common spaces of private room listings. This policy will take effect on April 30, allowing Hosts time to come into compliance of the said policy.

[Barbara1298]

Hi Quincy

Every property is different. However I think the policy-makers have overlooked serious issues that can arise in share houses where rooms are let individually.  It is common place, for example, for guests to leave a front door wide open, (presumably because their individual room is lockable?)   Hosts have a duty of care and a responsibility to take reasonable steps to protect the security of their guests, and in this day and age cameras are an accepted, even expected, way of achieving some sense of security.  What about when a guest causes malicious damage in a shared space?  The first thing authorities ask for is CCTV footage.

I could write an essay of examples here but hopefully you get the idea.  Last year the platform announced it was wanting to get back to its roots of single room stays..this latest announcement, if the platform insists on it being applied to common spaces such as lobbies in share houses, is quite simply untenable, and is a mistake. 

By all means - apply it to whole house listings where the booking guest is responsible for the whole property and all the liability that goes with it.

In the interests of retaining high quality, tenable, financially viable individual room listings - PLEASE - rethink this policy. 

Yours in anticipation 

A concerned Host

[Steve2584]

HI. Your reply directly contradicts what I was told, via recorded phone discussion, and given the relevant ID regarding the communication to use if future issues arise. 

[Andrey42]

This policy is ridiculous and very dangerous for hosts that have shared spaces. I think we should start commenting about this and complaining on all their social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, etc. If a good number of people do this they’ll start to reconsider.