Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

Scope and Rationale of the Camera Ban

• Airbnb previously allowed disclosed indoor cameras in some areas (e.g., entryways), which many commenters find shocking given expectations of privacy comparable to hotels and long‑term rentals.
• Most agree the new ban is overdue and aligns with the basic presumption of privacy in any residential space.
• Some note the policy explicitly also limits outdoor cameras aimed into indoor or “private” outdoor spaces (showers, saunas), which is seen as a necessary next step.

Effectiveness and Enforcement Concerns

• Many argue this will mostly affect honest hosts who previously disclosed cameras; bad actors will just hide them.
• Others counter that:
  • It gives Airbnb clearer grounds to remove hosts and listings.
  • Openly visible indoor cameras will largely disappear.
  • Hidden cameras become riskier because footage can’t be used openly as “evidence” in disputes.
• Several point out that detecting hidden cameras is hard; even multiple tools and techniques only find a fraction of them, so guests ultimately rely on trust.

Airbnb vs Hotels and User Experience

• Broad sentiment that Airbnb has become worse: higher prices, excessive rules, cleaning chores, data‑sharing with third‑party systems, and occasional illegal setups (zoning, tax evasion).
• Many say they’ve moved back to hotels for predictability, professional cleaning, and clear norms; others still prefer Airbnb for:
  • Large groups, families, or multi‑bedroom stays.
  • Kitchen, laundry, and more living space.
  • Locations or property types where hotels are scarce.

Cleaning Fees, Chores, and Host Practices

• A major thread criticizes mandatory cleaning fees combined with substantial guest chores (laundry, dishes, trash, partial deep‑cleaning).
• Some hosts explain high fixed turnover costs (cleaning crews, travel time) and defend per‑stay fees as economically necessary, especially for whole homes.
• Others bundle cleaning into nightly rates and ask for no chores, arguing this is more transparent and hotel‑like.
• Debate centers on what is “reasonable”: light tidying and stripping beds vs. full cleaning while still paying large fees.

Broader Critiques of Airbnb

• Many blame Airbnb for worsening housing affordability and turning residential areas into de facto hotel zones with noise and nuisance.
• Several comments frame Airbnb’s trajectory as “enshitification”: an initial consumer‑friendly disruptor that slowly adopted opaque fees, hostile UX patterns, and externalized risks onto hosts, neighbors, and guests.