One of the major trends we’ve covered on this blog over the years is the proliferation of cameras everywhere.
And by that, we’re not only talking about smartphones but also security devices and otherwise. What was a technical and expensive proposition in the past has become a lot easier in the modern era of technology and that has many people wondering just how much “surveillance” we can take.
Popular vacation rental website Airbnb announced that it is not allowing indoor security cameras moving forward. We doubt anyone is disappointed by this move aside from property owners themselves.
Chief among guest concerns, of course, is that they will be filmed without their knowledge and that this footage could be used for nefarious purposes. It isn’t a terribly far-fetched fear, either, given how easy, again, technology has made all of this.
The BBC did an excellent write-up featuring many Airbnb guests and their concerns about being filmed – as well as some experiences of actually being filmed while staying with a host.
President of Worldwide Protection Group, Kent Moyer, told the BBC:
“[A]n average person, what happens if all of a sudden they get the video footage or pictures of somebody, whatever they're doing there, having sex or nude, and now post that on social media? So it's an extreme problem… and the Airbnb company could be sued, the owner of the property could be sued as well for privacy and [it] could even be some criminal thing that they could be held liable for.”
This story reminds us of some of the others we have covered in the past, such as using drones to spy on people and the like. As Kent Moyer highlights above, it’s not just the fact that there are cameras everywhere in everything these days, it’s that it can also be immediately weaponized via social media and the Internet.
Would indoor security cameras prevent you from staying at an Airbnb? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
We have some other headlines for you to read at this link.
