This is part of a collection of stories celebrating the many shapes retirement travel can take. Read more here.
12.03.2024 - 14:41 / travelandleisure.com / Juniper Downs
Airbnb banned all indoor security cameras in its home rentals around the world this week, attributing the move to privacy concerns.
The new safety policy will go into effect on April 30 and will ban all cameras “inside listings, regardless of their location, purpose or prior disclosure.” The move represents a shift for the home rental company, which previously allowed indoor security cameras to be used in common areas of its homes, like hallways and living rooms, as long as they were disclosed on the listing.
The new rule will not apply to doorbell cameras or noise decibel monitors, but hosts will have to disclose their “presence and general location” before travelers book.
“Our goal was to create new, clear rules that provide our community with greater clarity about what to expect on Airbnb,” the company’s Head of Community Policy and Partnerships, Juniper Downs, said in a statement. “These changes were made in consultation with our guests, Hosts and privacy experts, and we’ll continue to seek feedback to help ensure our policies work for our global community.”
After the new policy goes into effect next month, Airbnb said it would take action against violators, including removing an account or listing.
The decision to ban indoor cameras is the home rental company’s latest effort to focus on security for its listings. In 2022, Airbnb banned all parties, making the COVID-19-era rule a permanent policy. And last year, the company introduced a verified status for listings, ensuring the property exists, the address is accurate, and the host has access to the home.
The company has also introduced updates aimed at price transparency, allowing travelers to view the total price of a rental with all of the fees when searching for a booking; as well as urged hosts to implement “reasonable” checkout requests after memes of over-the-top checkout demands circulated on the internet.
This is part of a collection of stories celebrating the many shapes retirement travel can take. Read more here.
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