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Businesses Network Privacy Wireless Networking Technology

Airbnb Guest Found Hidden Surveillance Camera By Scanning Wi-Fi Network (arstechnica.com) 99

Posted by BeauHD from the hide-and-seek dept.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: A New Zealand family that booked an Airbnb in Ireland recently discovered an undisclosed camera in the living room, and the family says that Airbnb initially cleared the host of any wrongdoing before finally banning the offender from its platform. "Once the family had unpacked, Andrew Barker, who works in IT security, scanned the house's Wi-Fi network," CNN reported today. "The scan unearthed a camera and subsequently a live feed. From the angle of the video, the family tracked down the camera, concealed in what appeared to be a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector." Nealie Barker posted an image on Facebook showing the location of the camera in the living room and a shot of the family from the sneaky video feed.

Based on the photo, the video of the Barkers seems to have been taken on March 3 and was viewable on the local Wi-Fi network at 192.168.0.4/video/livemb.asp. The family relocated to a hotel and contacted both Airbnb and the property host. The host initially hung up but later called back and told them, "The camera in the living room was the only one in the house," CNN wrote. It's not clear whether the host was recording the video, whether he was capturing audio, whether he was monitoring it remotely in real time, or whether he was using it for anything more than monitoring guests. [...] Airbnb temporarily suspended the listing and promised to investigate, CNN wrote. But when Barker contacted Airbnb again two weeks later, "the company told her that the host had been 'exonerated,' and the listing reinstated." Airbnb finally banned the host after Nealie Barker posted about the disturbing incident on Facebook on Monday this week. Barker's Facebook post said that Airbnb's "investigation which didn't include any follow-up with us exonerated the host, no explanation provided," and that "the listing (with hidden camera not mentioned) is still on Airbnb." Airbnb said in a statement to Ars Technica: "Our original handling of this incident did not meet the high standards we set for ourselves, and we have apologized to the family and fully refunded their stay."

Airbnb's policy states that hosts must disclose "any type of surveillance device" in listings, "even if it's not turned on or hooked up." Cameras are allowed in certain spaces if they are disclosed, but Airbnb "prohibit[s] any surveillance devices that are in or that observe the interior of certain private spaces (such as bedrooms and bathrooms) regardless of whether they've been disclosed. [...] If a host discloses the device after booking, Airbnb will allow the guest to cancel the reservation and receive a refund. Host cancellation penalties may apply."
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Airbnb Guest Found Hidden Surveillance Camera By Scanning Wi-Fi Network More

Airbnb Guest Found Hidden Surveillance Camera By Scanning Wi-Fi Network

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  • Stuff vs Privacy (Score:5, Informative)

    by KalvinB ( 205500 ) on Friday April 05, 2019 @05:27PM (#58392284) Homepage

    When "hosts" leave a bunch of valuable stuff around for their "guests" it's little wonder they care more about protecting their crap than the privacy of the guests.

    Stop renting out space that has your stuff in it.

    Nothing of value should be in the property, everything should be documented and have proper insurance.

    • Re:Stuff vs Privacy (Score:5, Informative)

      by ShanghaiBill ( 739463 ) on Friday April 05, 2019 @05:45PM (#58392336)

      Stop renting out space that has your stuff in it.

      Or learn to do a cost-benefit analysis. I have been an Airbnb host for 6 years and the worst that has happened is a few broken wine glasses and a stained towel. Since I had bought them at Walmart, total replacement cost was about $20.

      A single bad review can cost me 100 times that in lost bookings.

      Broken/stolen/damaged items are a non-problem.

      everything should be documented and have proper insurance.

      Insurance is to cover unaffordable expenses such as legal liability. Only an idiot would buy insurance for kitchen utensils or a TV from Costco.

      • Insurance is to cover unaffordable expenses such as legal liability. Only an idiot would buy insurance for kitchen utensils or a TV from Costco.

        Yup. Generally, insurance is something you are required to pay to have at home and, doubly so, in business. Still, sometimes it costs X to have the insurance if you never use it, and X+Y if you ever file a claim.

        For small(ish) claims that you can afford to just write a check to cover, don't call and initiate a claim. Save your insurance for catastrophic incidents you can't pay yourself out of.

    • When "hosts" leave a bunch of valuable stuff around for their "guests" it's little wonder they care more about protecting their crap than the privacy of the guests.

      Stop renting out space that has your stuff in it.

      Nothing of value should be in the property, everything should be documented and have proper insurance.

      Or you could use AIrBnB the way they claim it is supposed to be used: To rent out an extra room or a couch. If you are also living there at the same time, you don't need a camera..

      But of course 90% of AirBnB is just unlicenced hotels.

    • The issue is homeowners are rarely good business people. They dont understand that their home is now a business.

  • Well sure (Score:5, Interesting)

    by rmdingler ( 1955220 ) on Friday April 05, 2019 @05:39PM (#58392324) Journal

    Homeowners probably read this article [slashdot.org] or any number of equally disturbing disaster rentals.

    Googling "AirBnB renters trash house" gets similar results as typing in "Florida Man" and a random date.

    • However a camera does not protect you from that ...

    • Where the dramatic rare instance weighs more heavily in people's minds than the huge majority of mundane typical occurrences.
      • People view lotteries positively because of the story of the rare winner, while the vast majority of players are losers.
      • Gambling in general exploits the same thing, although your odds of winning tend to be a bit better.
      • Many people fear traveling by air, even though it's statistically the safest method of transportation.
      • Many people fear nuclear power, even though statistically it'
    • I decided to search that phrase and found this article [nbcwashington.com]. Holy shit.

      There were broken windows and doors, damaged furniture, glass everywhere and large blood stains throughout the rental property,

  • Fair enough (Score:3)

    by theCat ( 36907 ) on Friday April 05, 2019 @05:43PM (#58392332) Journal

    Homeowners naturally would like to keep tabs on who does what in their home-for-let. Apparently, it's fine so long as they follow some rules. The homeowner did not, maybe didn't know the rules or misunderstood the requirement. So the handling was probably okay. A rules violation.

    Further, I don't see that camera being "sneaky". That's a real CC camera, they are all over the place in buildings and public places. Doesn't look like anything except exactly what it is.

    However we hear reports out of Korea where they have hidden cameras in lavatories looking like soap dispensers, and there is apparently a cottage industry of providers of hidden camera streams and up-skirt videos. That is obviously shady, no two ways about it. The current case, not so much.

    • Homeowners naturally would like to keep tabs on who does what in their home-for-let. Apparently, it's fine so long as they follow some rules. The homeowner did not, maybe didn't know the rules or misunderstood the requirement. So the handling was probably okay. A rules violation.

      Further, I don't see that camera being "sneaky". That's a real CC camera, they are all over the place in buildings and public places. Doesn't look like anything except exactly what it is.

      However we hear reports out of Korea where they have hidden cameras in lavatories looking like soap dispensers, and there is apparently a cottage industry of providers of hidden camera streams and up-skirt videos. That is obviously shady, no two ways about it. The current case, not so much.

      That was my thought as well. Apparently Airbnb owners are allowed to put in surveillance cameras providing they make full disclosure to the guests. That seems to be their fault here.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by sjames ( 1099 )

      At LEAST read TF Summary:

      the family tracked down the camera, concealed in what appeared to be a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector

    • My family runs a commercial building. Despite it being our building, we're not even allowed to enter the units we rent out to our tenants unless the tenant invite us in first. When we evict someone, we have to file paperwork with the city and allow the tenant time to respond (whole process takes about 6 months). And when everything is in order, we're only allowed into our own building with a police escort.

      I have security cameras around the outside for the tenants' protection since we've had a few robber

  • Step 1: Disconnect router "accidentally" while plugging phone in.
    Step 2: Superglue on the camera's lense.

    Not like the owners can really bitch about damage, since the camera is either against AirBnB's ToS or outright illegal. Possibly both.

    • Giving the owner a show is also an option. Make some hot love, then wipe your cum all over the camera lense...

    • Not like the owners can really bitch about damage, since the camera is either against AirBnB's ToS or outright illegal. Possibly both.
      One thing has nothing to do with the other. Obviously he can sue you for damage ...

  • It's probably worth the risk for a homeowner to conceal a camera in the main area of a home to have at least some evidence in case something happens to the property. After all, the risk is "Airbbnb no longer lets you rent your property through them" which is probably an acceptable liability for having some evidence for use in legal proceedings. The "legality" of having a camera in a private residence, in a "public" space like a living room or kitchen is probably pretty sound. This is purely an Airbnb req

    • The "legality" of having a camera in a private residence, in a "public" space like a living room or kitchen is probably pretty sound.
      Erm ... no?
      You rent something ... the moment you rent it, it belongs to the renter. Regardless if you do it via AirBNB or privately or craiglist etc.

    • I saw a local case in the paper, the dude had a camera in the living room and a family moved in for the week end. Well there was a pool and the two little kids around 7 and 9 put their swimsuits on in the living room. Yeah he just filmed child pornography and when he streamed the movie to his home server for storage it was distribution. They said he would probably not go to prison but it would be very hard not to get on the sex offender registery. His life had just ended right there because of a stupid came

  • Comment removed (Score:3, Informative)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Friday April 05, 2019 @05:59PM (#58392400)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • Why hdie it (Score:3)

    by fluffernutter ( 1411889 ) on Friday April 05, 2019 @06:22PM (#58392492)
    The creepy part is that the camera is hidden. If you want.to put it out in the open and let all your guests know you might be watching them 24x7 and you can get people to stay by all means, but if you feel you are in the right then why hide it.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by quenda ( 644621 )

      The creepy part is that the camera is hidden.

      How is it creepy? It was in the common room, and quite obviously there for non-nefarious purposes.

      I'd have just stuck some tape over it, checked there were no other cameras, and got on with enjoying my vacation.

      • 'Common room'? Unless the room was public how can you know people wouldn't be walking around naked in it? You have never had sex on a couch?

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by quenda ( 644621 )

          'Common room'? Unless the room was public how can you know people wouldn't be walking around naked in it?

          What's with the nudity phobia? Are you assuming the camera was for sexual voyeurism?

          I read that if there was a chemical weapons attack in the US, thousands of people would rather die than remove their contaminated clothing in public.

          • All I'm saying is if there are going to be nude videos of me, I'd better be benefiting from them. Not some person who I don't even know.
      • Besides, if it's not a problem, why hide it?? That was kind of my point.

  • Actually AirBnB's investigation followed the exact standard they set for themselves. AirBnB's own policy says that it will only ban a host if a hidden camera is in the bedroom, bathroom, or single room rental.

    If AirBnB wants to sound apologetic then can change their standard rather than spin bullshit.

  • Run an nmap against any network to which you are connected? I know I do.

  • So yet another story confirms that a VC capital funded IT startup has no credibility. Buyer beware. Use at your own risk. Don't expect any kind of ethical behaviour from them.

    I wonder what they're like as employers?

  • I don't travel much and when I do I stay in hotels. I've had two airBnBs so far, and both of them were pretty extreme cases of let the Buyer beware.

    #1 - billed as private room & bath in the host's house. Host mentioned "two beautiful, clean cats" but no other occupants. Day 1, host says her friend was staying in the room i was supposed to get and "would I mind" staying in this other room (so two separate rental rooms in the same house) the first night while she cleaned up. Already a little suspicio

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