Airbnb's Indoor Camera Ban: What Hosts Can Still Use and What to Do if You Find a Camera

In March 2024 Airbnb announced that it would ban indoor security cameras in every listing worldwide. The rule took effect on April 30, 2024. Here's what it covers, what hosts can still use, and what to do if a stay doesn't match the rules.

What's banned

• Any camera or recording device that monitors the inside of the home: bedrooms, bathrooms, hallways, living rooms, guest houses and shared common areas. Per Airbnb's rules, this applies even if the device is turned off.
• Hidden cameras of any kind. They are strictly prohibited, indoors or out.

What's still allowed

• Exterior cameras, such as a doorbell camera or a camera covering the driveway, as long as their location is disclosed in the listing. They can't watch the inside of the home, and they can't be placed in outdoor areas where guests expect privacy, like an enclosed outdoor shower or a sauna.
• Noise decibel monitors, which measure sound levels without recording audio. They must be disclosed and can't be in bedrooms, bathrooms or sleeping areas.

How to read a listing before you book

Check the listing's safety and property section for disclosed devices. A disclosed doorbell camera is normal. A listing that mentions an indoor camera, or a host who brings one up in messages, is already outside the rules.

Why a quick check still makes sense

Rules don't stop everyone. In a June 2025 survey of 1,050 U.S. adults, 47% said they had found a camera in a rental at some point, and 58% said they worry about hidden cameras (IPX1031). A two-minute check on arrival costs nothing and settles the question. Here's the routine we recommend.

If you find a camera

1. Don't destroy it. Take photos of the device where it is and of the room around it.
2. Leave if you feel unsafe.
3. Report it to Airbnb from the app. Airbnb says violations are investigated and can lead to the listing or the host's account being removed.
4. Contact local police if it covers a private space like a bedroom or bathroom. Recording people there is a crime in many places.

Travel light, check fast

Obscura was made for exactly this moment: a red lens finder for any lens with a view of the room, and an RF scan for devices that transmit, in a 94 mm detector that lives in your bag. Sources: Airbnb's rules on cameras and recording devices, CNBC.