‘Once the family had unpacked, Andrew Barker, who works in IT security, scanned the house's Wi-Fi network.
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.’
‘Next, Andrew Barker called the owner of the property. When confronted with the family's discovery, Nealie Barker said, the host hung up. Later, he called back, insisting the camera in the living room was the only one in the house.
"We didn't feel relieved by that," she said, adding that the host refused to confirm whether he was recording the Livestream, or capturing audio.’
‘According to Nealie Barker, Airbnb did not contact the family again. After she got through to them two weeks later, the company told her that the host had been "exonerated," and the listing reinstated.
It was only after she posted about the incident on Facebook and local New Zealand news stations reported her experience that the host was permanently banned, she said.’
‘In a statement, Airbnb told CNN: "The safety and privacy of our community -- both online and offline -- is our priority. Airbnb policies strictly prohibit hidden cameras in listings and we take reports of any violations extremely seriously. We have permanently removed this bad actor from our platform."'
I remember hearing about this incident a few years ago and was always very wary of this happening to me and so since have always checked for cameras every time I go to a hotel or BnB including Airbnb! (https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/05/europe/ireland-airbnb-hidden-camera-scli-intl/index.html, 2019)
It’s interesting as this statement from the articles says ‘‘In a statement, Airbnb told CNN: "The safety and privacy of our community -- both online and offline -- is our priority. Airbnb policies strictly prohibit hidden cameras in listings and we take reports of any violations extremely seriously. We have permanently removed this bad actor from our platform."‘ although now it is actually legal for Airbnb hosts to have cameras in their property as long as they list them in the description.
Here are some tips to look for hidden cameras if you feel the need too!
‘'One of the easiest ways to detect hidden cameras is by checking around the environment carefully. An inch-by-inch search would be helpful to spot ”obvious” hidden cameras at the first step.
Most Common Places to Find Hidden Cameras Indoors
• Smoke detectors
• Air filter equipment
• Books
• Wall décor
• Electrical outlets
• Desk plants
• Tissue boxes
• Stuffed teddy bears
• Couch cushions, table tops, and shelves
• DVD cases
• Lava lamps
• Digital TV boxes
• Wall sockets
• Hairdryer holders
• Wall or alarm clocks
• Clothes hooks
• Pens
Most Common Positions to Locate Hidden Cameras & Microphones Outdoors
• House plants
• Holes on the doors
• The roof the house
• The doorbell outside your home
Some objects may reveal suspicious wires, lights or lenses that are hallmarks of hidden spy cameras. If you find some unusual power outlets or adapters, unplug them immediately.
Listen as you walk through the entire room. Some hidden motion-sensing surveillance cameras would make an almost inaudible buzz when in operation.’
Here are a few links with some step by step guides on how to find hidden cameras!
https://reolink.com/how-to-detect-hidden-cameras/
https://www.senteltechsecurity.com/blog/post/how-to-find-hidden-cameras/
You can also buy a hidden camera detector!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hidden-Camera-Detector-Wireless-Scanner/dp/B07T1H6QG1