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I agree that it should be disclosed, but to post pictures seems a little over the top to me (IMO). My camera is so small that in order to show it you wouldn’t see its location anyway.
Once the booking is made and the guest arrives I really doubt that they would go back to the listing to compare the pictures to the home. And other than doing that, what is the point in posting pictures if they are already aware that the cameras exist?
I think it is irresponsible of owners / hosts to have properties without security cameras to protect the outside.
Cameras are there for safety, and also to ensure the property is neighborly.
ABB should take the opposite tact and require cameras, or ask for a disclosure is the property is not protected.
I would agree that it seems a bit much to have to post a picture. My only concern about NOT posting a picture would be that in a dispute, a guest could claim that I am not following Air TOS.
Good point. I would think that Air would contact the host first with the claim and request you post pictures.
As a person who stayed at a place with security cameras INSIDE in all common areas (entrance hall, living room) I still booked, but during my stay felt really uncomfortable. I had to walk from the shower area to the kitchen to check the hot water heater and forgot about the cameras at first. Then realized OMG, I’m on camera.
I also felt sort of like I was on guard not to do anything wrong (and I’m not a person who would – sort of like when you’re pulled over by police and immediately feel like a bad person – LOL).
I would never book a place like that again. It’s far too intrusive. You are not planning to do this so really, I’m just sharing a relative experience.
That said, a camera outside the door is TOTALLY acceptable.
Oh my! I agree that it is very intrusive to have indoor cameras. That is going too far.
We have one only at our front entrance so we can see who is coming and going, and whether there is noise outside at night.
Me, too. I don’t say where the cameras are or what they can see. Remember, all the loser teenagers in my town can see the same listing and then they will know how to sneak around the property without being seen.
Where on Airbnb to disclose the outdoor camera? I couldn’t find it under home safety or amenities.
So take and post a picture of the camera. but zoom in so far that you cannot tell where the camera is located except outdoors somewhere. That should satisfy the TOS.
I suspect they want us to put pictures in of the cameras because, as we all know far too well, guests do not read the listings!
@ping To my knowledge, it doesn’t specifically reference outdoor cameras, but I’m pretty sure that if you included an outdoor porch in your listing and monitored it with a video camera, that would fall under their policy
Tim
TurnoverBnB
You better check your country’s laws. Airbnb POLICIES do not supersede the LAW. I am pretty sure most countries have a law in place that security cameras inside the house of a rental property are against the law.
That’s the wording I got for 1 camera that faces the main gate / parking area:
For your protection and our property, we placed one security camera facing the main gate and parking area.
Since this is such a good thread regarding Air’s requirements re security cameras, I wanted to add this update here. It looks like the disclosure of cameras is no longer required in your listing’s photos. Also, Air is clearer in stating that the disclosure needs to be in the House Rules. Note, too, that Air has a new section called something like “Things Guests Should Know About . . .” and it covers things like weapons on property, stairs to climb, and there’s a box to check for surveillance devices.
Here’s the current page re surveillances devices:
What are Airbnb’s rules about electronic surveillance devices in listings?
Our Standards & Expectations require that all members of the Airbnb community respect each other’s privacy. More specifically, we require hosts to disclose all surveillance devices in their listings, and we prohibit 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.
Rules for hosts
If you’re a host and you have any type of surveillance device in or around a listing, even if it’s not turned on or hooked up, we require that you indicate its presence in your House Rules. We also require you to disclose if an active recording is taking place. 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.
I don’t know if you saw the closed thread that included quite a bit of back and forth about the topic of camera use but this “new” policy was posted there as well.
"Caught a Guest Red-handed with Camera!
The section titled “Details guests must know about your home” isn’t that new but the part about the cameras is. I guess they are having some problems. I’d be curious to know if it’s in response to the recent stories in the new about Airbnb hosts spying on their guests. As Como pointed out on the that thread there are a lot of things that can act as surveillance devices in a home. Am I going to put that I have a smartphone and it’s located in my pocket? How about weapons in the home? As one of my favs Ani diFranco sang…every tool is a weapon if you hold it right. I think under weapons in home I’m going to check yes and then write. “I keep a chainsaw under my bed.”
@KKC, thanks for pointing that out. I had read that thread when it was initially posted but wasn’t totally current with it.
Interestingly, when filling out the "Things Guests Should Know About . . . " section re cameras, the prompt simply says “Describe any device that records or sends video, audio, or still images. Specify each device’s location and whether it will be on or off.”
I have to say, I don’t like the inconsistent lingo Air is using. In the article, they refer to “active recording,” but the prompt referenced above simply says hosts have to indicate whether the device will be “on or off.” Should we assume “on” means “recording”? As a guest, I would.
Maybe Air needs to add another box for “Host keeps a chainsaw under the bed.” Who doesn’t? :-)
Where did you add the text? Just so that I can do the same. I have one camera on the terrace and one on the stairs… do you think that will be a problem? I didnt even think about that being an issue 
thank you!
thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks
I just stayed in a place with indoor cameras, I didn’t mind the one by the front door, but when I suspected that one of the two smoke detectors on the upper lever was a camera (bc why two?) I got progressively more annoyed. However, there was a new (to me) section in the guests review asking if there was an issue to report and had cameras as an click on option. I did and Air got right back to me asking for proof - I had one photo - they suspended her account and gave me a full refund!! I feel bad about that - she was a really nice host, but…
As an attorney with security cameras, I think it is important to disclose these in your listing. I also think it is problematic if you indicate that the camera is “for your protection”. This can be taken as you “providing security” and should something happen, potentially opening up the door for liability. I state that my camera is to check for arrivals and departures for housekeeping services, and that the cameras are NOT monitored.
I would be concerned about saying anything about it being for the “guest’s security”. If something bad happened to the guest, the guest would have had a reasonable expectation of security protection. If for some reason the camera was turned off they would not have had the benefit of that “security”? (It sounds more reasonable to say the cameras are in place to monitor house rules only. )