Airbnb Hidden Cameras: Get Help
If you or someone you know has found an Airbnb hidden camera, you have legal rights and options to seek help, healing, and accountability.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
Key Takeaways
- If you find a hidden camera in your Airbnb, you should immediately take photos and videos of the recording device and contact law enforcement. Do not touch the recording device.
- After reporting the camera to law enforcement, you should contact Airbnb and ensure you have a safe place to stay. Do not remain at the Airbnb property as it is likely an unsafe environment.
- If you find a hidden camera, you may be eligible to file a civil lawsuit against the host and Airbnb.
Airbnb Hidden Cameras: Overview of the Problem
While Airbnb sexual assaults of guests and hosts have been a documented problem for years, hidden cameras in bathrooms, bedrooms, and other intimate areas have only recently made headlines.
This new form of voyeurism is growing in prevalence. Perpetrators are using hidden cameras to secretly record people in their most intimate moments for sexual pleasure. While some recordings are only viewed by the Airbnb host, others are posted online or shared in groups on Whatsapp, Telegram, and other social media and messaging sites.
How Common Are Hidden Cameras in Airbnbs?
It wasn’t until a July 2024 CNN report that the size and scope of this problem came to light. According to the CNN report, an Airbnb representative testified at a court-ordered deposition that the company has received at least 35,000 customer support tickets about surveillance devices since 2013.
The shocking article detailed several cases. One involved A. Jay Allee, who had earned Airbnb’s coveted “super host” status. A guest discovered that Allee had installed a hidden camera pointing directly at a bed. The guest notified Airbnb and contacted law enforcement. Police obtained a search warrant and discovered more than 2,000 images and videos with at least 30 victims, including several children. Allee was charged with 15 criminal counts of invasive visual recording and pleaded guilty to six of them.
Allee’s listing on Airbnb’s site remained active five months after the guest contacted Airbnb and two months after law enforcement notified the company of the criminal investigation.
Thirteen people who stayed at Allee’s Airbnb—including two minors—sued Airbnb in a California state court in July 2022. Airbnb settled the claims with the plaintiffs six months later.
In April 2024, Airbnb updated its security device policy to ban “security cameras and recording devices that monitor any part of a listing’s interior.” However, hidden cameras remain a problem as perpetrators ignore laws and company policies to harm victims.
- What is Sexual Assault?
- What is Sexual Assault in the First Degree?
- What is Sexual Assault in the Second Degree?
- What is Sexual Assault in the Third Degree?
- What is Sexual Assault in the Fourth Degree?
- What is Rape?
- What is Rape in the First Degree?
- What is Rape in the Second Degree?
- What is Rape in the Third Degree?
- How to Report Sexual Assault
- How Long Does a Victim Have to Press Charges?
- Can I file a Sexual Assault Lawsuit?
How to Detect Airbnb Hidden Cameras
Unfortunately, many guests now feel it necessary to check their Airbnb for hidden cameras at the beginning of their stay. Individuals can use the following methods to detect hidden Airbnb cameras—some more technically involved than others:
- Use a flashlight: You can turn off the lights in the Airbnb and shine your phone’s flashlight across the surroundings. Look for any reflective surfaces that could be a camera lens.
- Scan for devices connected to the WiFi network: Most Airbnb properties generally offer guests free WiFi during their stays. Apps like Fing enable users to see what devices are connected to the WiFi network once they log in. While the property may have a secondary WiFi network, these apps could detect an Airbnb hidden camera logged into the same network.
- Hardware devices: Recently, dozens of hardware devices have popped up with marketing claims that they can detect hidden Airbnb cameras. These devices may detect radiofrequency signals. However, the accuracy and integrity of these devices are questionable at best, so proceed with caution.
Unfortunately, there are no foolproof methods for detecting Airbnb hidden cameras. We recommend using the flashlight method and scanning the WiFi network for connected devices as precautionary measures.
We can help you understand your legal rights and options.
What To Do if You Find Hidden Cameras in an Airbnb
If you find a hidden camera in your Airbnb, it can be an extremely traumatizing and jarring experience. If you find a hidden camera in your Airbnb, the following are some things to do immediately to ensure your safety:
- Do not touch the device: If you find or detect a hidden camera at the property, do not touch it. While your first instinct might be to unplug it or prevent it from recording you, you should leave it be. Try not to touch it at all if possible.
- Take photos, videos, and notes: Take photos and videos of the recording device. Note where it is located, how you found it, and how long you have stayed at the property before discovering the hidden camera.
- Report to Local Law Enforcement: Immediately call the non-emergency law enforcement phone number to report the hidden camera and have the police come to you. However, if you cannot call, drive to the local police station. Not only does a hidden camera violate Airbnb’s policies, but covert recording, especially in bathrooms and bedrooms, is also illegal voyeurism in most jurisdictions—a criminal offense. Reporting to law enforcement not only triggers a criminal investigation but also creates an important paper trail documenting this severe violation of privacy.
- Contact Airbnb: Airbnb has an emergency support line that you should contact after filing a police report. They should be able to provide you with another place to stay, such as a hotel or other Airbnb property. Once you are physically away from the property, file a report with Airbnb through their standard reporting processes. If they do not offer you another place to stay, find a safe place regardless. Staying at the property is likely not safe.
Do not contact the property owner or Airbnb host at any time during or after this process. This could lead to a potentially dangerous interaction, as bad actors often act erratically when confronted. Additionally, an interaction could jeopardize any law enforcement or Airbnb support investigations.
If you previously detected a hidden camera in your Airbnb and did not follow these steps at the time, it is okay and understandable. You still have rights and options, including reporting the incident to law enforcement and Airbnb to help prevent future harm.
Once you are safe and physically away from the situation, you may wonder about your rights and options. A victim cannot file criminal charges against someone or force Airbnb to ban the individual. However, if these things do not happen, you may be able to take further action, such as filing a lawsuit against Airbnb and the host over the hidden camera.
Airbnb Hidden Camera Lawsuits
Can you sue over hidden cameras in an Airbnb?
Your eligibility to file suit depends on various factors. The only way to know if you are eligible is to consult an attorney with experience in Airbnb hidden camera lawsuits.
If you contact Helping Survivors, we can connect you with one of our partner law firms nationwide. They can help evaluate your case and advise you regarding your right to file a lawsuit. You may be able to file a lawsuit against the host. You may also be entitled to sue Airbnb if it was negligent in verifying the host’s identity, performing background checks on the host, or taking reasonable safety measures to protect guests.
The civil statute of limitations in the jurisdiction where the harm occurred is a key factor in determining your eligibility for filing an Airbnb hidden camera lawsuit. The statute of limitations imposes the deadline for filing a lawsuit.
In some jurisdictions, the statute of limitations can be as short as one year. Thus, it is critical to speak to an experienced and knowledgeable attorney as soon as possible.
Airbnb Hidden Camera Lawsuits in the Media
Over the last few years, we have seen numerous lawsuits filed against Airbnb over sexual assaults and hidden cameras. Many brave individuals have come forward and started to tackle the major issue of hidden cameras in Airbnbs. Their lawsuits could bring about global change and prevent future harm to millions.
Cielito Lindo Ranch in Comfort, Texas
In the previously mentioned criminal case against A. Jay Allee, police found more than 2,100 images of at least 30 guests on confiscated electronics. He pleaded guilty to six criminal charges and served a year in jail.
At least thirteen guests of Allee’s property, Cielito Lindo Ranch, have filed suit against Airbnb, claiming the company refused to cooperate with Kendall County investigators’ efforts to identify the full list of guests. Additionally, they alleged that Airbnb never informed users who later stayed at the property of the alleged misconduct and that the property’s listing stayed on the site for at least a month after Allee’s arrest.
Dale Drive in Silver Spring, Maryland
A Texas couple staying in an Airbnb found at least three hidden cameras disguised as smoke detectors. The cameras were located in the bedroom above the bed and in the bathroom. Unfortunately, the couple had already been intimate in the space before discovering the cameras. The couple left the property and contacted law enforcement immediately.
The couple filed a lawsuit against the property owner, Christopher Goisse.
In August 2023, the host’s brother, Larry Goisse, was arrested by law enforcement on charges related to the hidden cameras. Law enforcement officers believe other individuals were likely recorded without their knowledge and consent, and they encourage others who have stayed at the property to come forward.
Stirrup Cup Cottage in Aiken, South Carolina
In 2021, a woman filed a lawsuit against two Airbnb hosts after learning from state law enforcement that she and her friends were secretly recorded during a 2019 stay.
The lawsuit alleges negligence, invasion of privacy, and emotional distress. The plaintiff is seeking compensation for her damages and attorney fees.
These lawsuits are just a few of those filed against Airbnb and hosts over hidden cameras. While Airbnb has updated its policies, this problem remains ongoing, and the individuals impacted deserve to seek help and healing after experiencing such an invasion of their privacy.
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