Window to the World, calling for Wind of Wisdom, as common sense is a gift to each soul, as common environment is the inseparable planet, as common desire is to live in a better world.
Are you being watched? Airbnb guests worry about hidden cameras, 11 percent said they have discovered one
Airbnb has been under fire lately after numerous reports of hidden cameras found in some of the rentals were brought to the public’s attention. As creepy and privacy-invading as it sounds, apparently it happens a lot more often than we originally thought.
According to a survey of 2,000 American Airbnb users conducted by IPX1031, 58% of respondents reveal that they worry about the presence of hidden cameras in their rental, while 11% of them have actually found devices in their Airbnb.
This means that an average of 1 in 10 Airbnb users from the States say they’ve found a hidden camera somewhere in the rental during their stay—which sounds beyond scary. The survey points out that some Airbnb hosts might not be using it for malicious reasons, and that around 25% of respondents said that they’re okay with security cameras in common areas, like the living room or kitchen. After all, Airbnb hosts are letting complete strangers into their homes to spend the night. But, cameras in private spaces like bedrooms and bathrooms are a huge no-no for those looking to rent some space.
Most Airbnb Guests Worry About Hidden Cameras
In a recent survey of 2,000 Americans who have stayed in an Airbnb, 58 percent said they worry about hidden cameras. With reason: 11 percent said they have actually discovered one.
The Why Axis BugIn an IPX1031 survey of 2,000 Americans who have stayed in an Airbnb, conducted from April 2 to 7, 58 percent said they worry about hidden cameras. Their concerns aren’t unfounded. Eleven percent of respondents said they have actually discovered a hidden camera in an Airbnb.
Airbnb’s policies allow cameras in common areas but not in bedrooms and bathrooms. The company also requires hosts to disclose all surveillance devices in their listings. Unfortunately, not all Airbnb hosts follow the rules.
Airbnb guests are finding hidden cameras planted in their rentals
A 22-year-old from Washington State was in Switzerland in 2016 when she says a friend discovered a cellphone under the sink in the bathroom at their Airbnb. “We saw that the phone was filming and we were whispering and trying to be very quiet. We weren’t sure if it was being live streamed,” Hilden said. Soon after, Hilden says they found an iPad also recording. They quickly left, and reported the incident to the company.
Nealie and Andrew Barker, from Auckland, were in the midst of a 14-month trip around Europe when they arrived at the Airbnb property with their four children and niece. “It was such a shock. It was just a really horrible feeling,” Nealie Barker told CNN.
It was only after she posted about the incident on Facebook and local New Zealand news stations reported her experience that the host was permanently banned, she said.
