CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Airbnb has banned the use of indoor camera by hosts. KRIS 6 spoke with a local host and a video surveillance company about bout what this means for Airbnb properties here in the coastal bend.
Airbnb previously allowed the use of indoor cameras as long as they were easily visible, disclosed before the booking,and in common areas, but not in spaces like bathrooms and bedrooms.
We spoke to Sandra Middour, an Airbnb host in Corpus Christi. She said this new policy will not affect her property.
"To me, it’s appalling to me that anyone would have cameras inside anyways, so it wasn’t big news to us," Middour said.
Middour and her husband never even considered putting a camera on the inside of the rental. She said she believes privacy for her guests is crucial.
"It’s super important [privacy] I think everyone feels that way, whether you’re staying at a hotel or an Airbnb, or short-term rental like that. When you close the door, that’s your private space," Middour said.
Dean Drako, the CEO of Eagle Eye Networks, a cloud-based video surveillance company, provided an outside perspective on the new indoor camera ban by Airbnb.
"I think that when you rent a home, or an Airbnb so to speak, it comes with a certain expectation of privacy," Drako said.
As for hosts like Middour, she said all she needs is the doorbell camera.
"We can see anything we need to see on the outside. If we approve 2 guests and we see 30 coming in and out, we can see that from the outside. So that’s all we need," Middour said.
She said because Airbnb is so review driven, she is optimistic that people will continue to be responsible and respectful at her location, despite the new expectation that cameras will not be inside properties.
"We’re consistently pleased with how well people take care of our space. How respectful they are. Of course Airbnb's review procedure really help with that. I feel like everyone is on their best behavior," Middour said.
The company is giving hosts until April 30 to come into compliance with the new policy.
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