Rental properties may have security cameras in many areas, but not everywhere. Furthermore, if you are being watched, you have the right to know. In other words, the answer to the question in the title is no. Airbnbs cannot have hidden cameras or any other concealed recording devices.
The rental platform allows hosts to install security cameras inside or around the property—as long as they are not in private areas, such as bedrooms or bathrooms, and as long as they are properly disclosed.
Vrbo, another vacation rental platform, has even stricter rules: cameras or other surveillance devices are prohibited anywhere inside a property. They are only allowed in outdoor areas if disclosed.
Although both companies prohibit hosts from installing hidden cameras, the discovery of concealed recording devices has gone viral on social media.
Last year, a lawsuit was filed in Texas after a couple claimed that the owners recorded them during “intimate and private moments” while renting a property in August 2020. One of the owners was arrested, and the investigation uncovered other illegal recordings of different guests.
How to Check for Hidden Cameras
Expert Marcus Hutchins, whose TikTok account (@malwaretech) offers security tips, says a quick way to find a hidden camera is to shine a light on any object with holes. For example, pass your phone’s flashlight over a smoke detector or air conditioning vent—any internal lens will give a bluish reflection. Hutchins explains that cameras can be hidden in showers and even in outlets.
Bright lights on mirrors or other mirrored items will also reveal hidden camera lenses behind the glass, Hutchins says.
Michael O’Rourke, CEO of the global security consulting firm Advanced Operational Concepts, also shared some tips in an interview with The Washington Post. He says he turns off bedside clocks and stores them in a drawer. Then, he covers holes in doors. Another suggested tactic is to completely disconnect the property’s Wi-Fi, although this may be against your host’s rules and could potentially cause other issues for connected (non-invasive) devices.
The Fing smartphone app is also known for its ability to search for hidden cameras on its own.
Source: The Hill