https://www.spyguy.com/products/scout-hidden-camera-detector
For those who favor BnB type places, have you considered taking precautions to avoid being on display?
It was one of several items Consumer Reports reviewed as travel safety items, along with security locks and CO detectors among other items
Made me curious if folks that frequent BnB properties had thought about this, and if so done anything to prevent being on "candid camera' ?
My experience with this type of platform is limited but it's never something I've ever worried about. I can't help but think these stories are blown out of proportion as being common instead of rare. However it has convinced me to only book with super hosts where I would hope that nasty stories would be even rarer.
CNN recently had an article about this issue.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/09/business/airbnb-hidden-camera-invs/index.html
This kind of title to a post always reminds me of when Reverend Jim was filling out his driver license application on the sitcom Taxi.
The form asks, Mental disorder or drug addiction?
And Jim replies, "that's a tough choice."
AirBnB has updated its requirements and hosts now have to disclose if there are recording devices in common areas and may not have recording devices in private areas.
A lot of listings will now mention that there's a Ring or similar camera aimed at the entry.
There is a big difference between a “BnB” and “AirBnB”, and the terms should not be used interchangeably.
A BnB is a traditional Bed and Breakfast, a lodging type commonly found in the UK and Ireland with a few bedrooms rented out in the owners home, with breakfast provided in a common dining room. They exist in other countries under different names—- Zimmer Frei in Germany, etc.
Th focus of the article is AirBnB, the best-known of several rental platforms for finding apartments or homes rented to tourists for vacation. The company is based in San Francisco but the name has morphed into a generic term for owner rentals all over the world.
And yes there have been notorious cases of hidden cameras in such places. But please don’t point to BnB’s as the problem. This is a disservice to the people who run this long-standing and legitimate type of lodging.
We stay in AirBnBs pretty much everywhere. We've never concerned ourselves with anything like this. Don't anticipate doing so in the future.
I have stopped using AirBnB not specifically this, but the owners are too nosy in general. The prices have gone up where I can get a hotel for less and the general problem of AirBnB now pricing locals out of their own homes are more than enough reasons for me to stop using it for the most part.
If some pervert wants the risk of running screaming into the night after seeing me naked, just out of the shower... well that's on them.
I’ve never worried about cameras in a vacation rental.
I’ve probably rented 35 apartments in Europe over many years.
The few times I’ve read about people discovering them have been in places in the US, not Europe.
And I do believe that there are thousands of people out there who never said in their reviews: “We didn’t find any cameras.”
Because they weren’t worried!
I’m more concerned about absolute cleanliness, a host who is available, safety in the form of properly locking doors and windows, and being equipped well enough to be able to cook a little.
I don’t think you need to be too concerned.
As a story goes: an air passenger allegedly complained that there was a big window in the onboard bathroom and why were there no blinds.
The flight attendant said: “Ma’am, if some pervert is out there clinging onto the wing at 30,000 feet looking in, I salute them.”
O' CJean --- don't ruin our fantasies !!!!
But I have given some thoughts to carrying a CO2 detector.
Avi Rose, thanks for the Rev Jim reference.
A plethora of good choices, indeed
