Airbnb Announces Ban on Indoor Security Cameras
- Written by Elijah Ugoh Cybersecurity & Tech Writer
- Fact-Checked by
Airbnb has updated its security camera policy, now prohibiting the use of indoor security cameras in listings worldwide, starting April 30. This is to simplify Airbnb’s policy on security cameras while prioritizing the privacy of its community, the company says.
The company made this announcement in a blog post on its site on March 11, adding that it wants all hosts to have enough time to comply with the new policy. The company also made it clear in the announcement that the new change applies “regardless of the location, purpose, or prior disclosure” of the cameras.
“Airbnb allowed the use of indoor security cameras in common areas of listings, such as hallways and living rooms, as long as they were disclosed on the listing page before booking, clearly visible, and were not located in spaces like sleeping areas and bathrooms,” the company says in the announcement.
“Our goal was to create new, clear rules that provide our community with greater clarity about what to expect on Airbnb. 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,” says Juniper Downs, Head of Community Policy and Partnerships at Airbnb.
The revised security camera policy also includes the removal of security cameras from outdoor spaces “where there’s a greater expectation of privacy, like an enclosed outdoor shower or sauna.” Listings with doorbell cameras and noise monitors must also disclose the presence of these installations and their location on the property before guests book.
Noise monitors can “assess decibel level only” and cannot “record or transmit sounds or conversations and are only allowed in common spaces of listings,” the company adds. Airbnb expects that these changes will only affect a smaller subset of listings on its platform since the majority of its hosts do not have surveillance cameras on their properties.
This policy update is not surprising, as Airbnb’s main competitor, Vrbo already banned indoor surveillance cameras back in 2022 . Vrbo responded to Airbnb’s announcement in a statement to the Washington Post , saying the company is “glad to see our competitor on board with what we consider a base level of privacy for customers.”
Guests have reported undisclosed cameras in Airbnb listings, prompting the company to apologize to a guest in one such incident. Another case involving a hidden camera pointing to the bed was discovered in a Toronto Airbnb rental in 2020.
Airbnb may have finally been pushed to review its indoor camera policy after last month’s lawsuit involving an Airbnb host who took a security photo of her married guest in the company of another female and sent the image to the man’s wife after the guest left a negative review.
Glassdoor Adding Real Names to User Profiles Without Consent
- Written by Deep Shikha Content Writer
- Fact-Checked by
On March 20, Ars Technica reported that Glassdoor, known for its “anonymous workplace reviews”, is now controversially adding real names to profiles by gathering data from public sources without consent from the user.
Monica, who’s been using Glassdoor for 10 years, revealed in a blog post published on March 12 that her name and city were added to her profile without her permission, despite never providing her name at sign-up. This happened after she chatted with customer support over an account issue.
In her blog, Monica urged others to delete their Glassdoor accounts. She also warned that Glassdoor would add real names to accounts without consent and criticized the company for ignoring the risks this poses to users’ relationships with their employers and for violating its own privacy policies.
In a statement to Wired , Glassdoor’s Vice President Amanda Livingood explained that users have the option to remain anonymous on both Glassdoor and Fishbowl, allowing them to choose how much of their identity, such as their company name or job title, to reveal while using the services.
Glassdoor also assured Monica that her reviews would remain anonymous and neither employers nor anyone else could access her profile details. Despite this, Monica decided to delete her account. Later, she learned deleting her Glassdoor account would only deactivate it, and that her personal information will remain in archives. The support team told her that data deletion could take 30 days.
Aaron Mackey, a lawyer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), told Ars Technica that Glassdoor’s policy of storing real names raises privacy concerns. The EFF, which has a history of defending Glassdoor users against retaliation from employers, sees an increased risk of users being identified from their reviews if the data were to leak.
According to Mackey, this shift in policy has alarmed users, including Monica, who are concerned about the potential for privacy breaches.
Glassdoor’s actions have highlighted a critical discussion on privacy, emphasizing the urgent need for clearer consent and stronger protections. This controversy sheds light on the growing demand for transparency and user consent in digital policies.
