Before you book that Airbnb stay this summer, better do your homework. A new CNN investigation finds Airbnb has had ongoing issues with hidden cameras in guest properties for years, all while trying to keep the issue under wraps as much as possible. According to a court-ordered deposition, Airbnb reportedly admitted to receiving 35,000 customer support complaints about surveillance devices over the past decade, although the company didn't specify how many of those devices were cameras.
CNN spoke to several people who were the victims of hidden cameras in their Airbnb properties in recent years, some of which led to criminal charges against the property owner. One woman said she and her fiancé found a camera in their wall disguised as a phone charger. "I was just like, holy crap, this is a camera," she says. "It's so eerie and so creepy (when you realize it)...then your brain starts thinking what did they see...what happened while we were in that room?"
Airbnb has faced other issues in recent years, moving to quell complaints about its rentals being used for rowdy parties. On the issue of surveillance, the company has implemented a ban on all indoor cameras on its properties. Previously, cameras in public areas were allowed as long as they were disclosed to guests.
But that ban is only as good as its enforcement, and if a customer discovers they've been spied on, legal recourse is difficult. "When you sign up for Airbnb, the person going to rent the property agrees that if something happens while they're staying at this accommodation, they are actually prohibited from suing Airbnb," says Belkis Plata, an attorney who spoke with CNN for their investigation. "They must go a different route, which is a binding arbitration...it's a way to strong-arm someone."
Plata says Airbnb often looks to settle these cases as quickly as possible in order to keep them out of the public eye. "That's why they want you to have to go to arbitration, so that no one will know, and this will be swept under the rug."
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