Airbnb bans all indoor cameras, in favor of privacy-safe devices like Minut

From the end of April onwards, short-term rental operator Airbnb will no longer allow hosts and property managers to have security cameras inside their vacation rental properties, citing a commitment to prioritizing guest privacy, with devices such as Minut.

Until now indoor security cameras have been allowed in common areas, as long as the devices were clearly disclosed on the property listing page and were installed in clearly visible spots in the home. It’s important to note that cameras have never been allowed in spaces such as bedrooms or bathrooms. The update this week clarifies that indoor security cameras are now banned from all listings, in all countries, regardless of their location, purpose or prior disclosure.

“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.” Juniper Downs, Airbnb’s head of community policy and partnerships

Airbnb does still permit hosts to use privacy-safe noise decibel monitors such as Minut, which allows hosts and property managers insights into their properties without compromising the privacy of the guest. Minut sensors just monitor the sound levels but don’t record any audio – serving as an “effective, privacy-protective way for hosts to monitor security for their home and get ahead of issues like unauthorized parties,” the announcement said.

When you use a smart speaker, it records your voice and sends the recording to the Cloud for processing and analyzing before sending a response back. While the Cloud is essential to all smart devices, transferring sensitive data to the Cloud exposes it to breaches of privacy in the event that accounts or servers are compromised. The only way to truly guarantee privacy is not to record sensitive data in the first place.

“Using cameras inside rentals was not only controversial, but it was overkill by owners in most cases. There are several better ways they can protect their properties as well as the guests without intruding on them.” Nils Mattisson, Minut co-founder and CEO‍

Minut is in fact the only noise monitoring solution that has a global partnership and integration with Airbnb, so Minut can now contact your guests directly through Airbnb Messages - which means you’ll be able to solve noise issues faster.

To support Hosts on Airbnb in promoting responsible travel in their communities, we’re offering a Minut sensor and 3 months of subscription (Pro or Standard) for free. Now open to Hosts in over 60 countries and regions - get the offer here! *

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