If an Airbnb or Vrbo host had a hidden camera in a private space like a bedroom or bathroom, you may be able to sue for invasion of privacy. Both platforms prohibit hidden cameras in these areas, and a violation of that policy can support a claim.
Key terms
- Premises liability
- The legal rule that a property owner or host must keep guests reasonably safe from hazards they know about, or should know about.
- Statute of limitations
- The deadline for filing a claim. It varies by state and can run out before you realize you have a claim, so do not wait to ask.
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No. Airbnb does not allow hidden cameras or any cameras inside its listings, and Vrbo bans indoor recording devices too. If you found a hidden camera in your Airbnb or Vrbo, you were likely the victim of a serious privacy violation, and you may be able to bring an invasion of privacy lawsuit against the host and others.
Being watched or recorded in a place you believed was private is a violation that can leave lasting fear and emotional harm. You have rights. Traction Law Group can review what happened, at no cost, and help you decide what to do next.
Found a hidden camera at an Airbnb or Vrbo? You don't pay unless we win.
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Airbnb's Camera Policy: Can an Airbnb Have Cameras Inside?
No. Airbnb bans indoor cameras entirely. Under Airbnb's published security camera policy, "Hosts are not allowed to have security cameras and recording devices that monitor any part of a home's interior," including hallways, bedrooms, bathrooms, and living rooms, "even if they're turned off or disconnected." This rule took effect April 30, 2024.
What Airbnb does allow: outdoor cameras, such as a doorbell camera or a camera in the front yard. Even then, the host must clearly disclose any outdoor camera in the listing, for example, "I have a doorbell camera monitoring my front door."
So if you found a recording device inside an Airbnb, it almost certainly violated Airbnb's own rules.
Vrbo's Camera Policy: Can a Vrbo Have Cameras?
Vrbo has a similar rule. Under Vrbo's surveillance devices policy, cameras and audio recorders "are not allowed inside of a vacation rental," and hidden or disguised devices "are never allowed." Outdoor security cameras may be used only to monitor the access points of a property, must be clearly disclosed in the listing, and must not be placed anywhere a guest has a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as near an outdoor shower or sauna.
The bottom line: both major platforms ban hidden indoor cameras. A camera recording you inside the home is a violation of the platform's rules, and may break the law.
Where Hidden Cameras Are Found in Rentals
Hidden cameras are often disguised as ordinary objects. Guests have discovered them in:
- Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors
- Alarm clocks and digital clocks
- USB chargers, phone chargers, and power strips
- Light fixtures, lamps, and light bulbs
- Air purifiers, air fresheners, and tissue boxes
- Picture frames, mirrors, and wall décor
- TVs, streaming boxes, and Wi-Fi routers
- Vents, outlets, and behind furniture
The most disturbing cases involve cameras pointed at beds, bathrooms, and changing areas, exactly the places where you have the strongest expectation of privacy.
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How to Detect a Hidden Camera in an Airbnb or Vrbo
If something feels off, trust your instincts and look carefully. Here are practical ways to check for hidden cameras:
- Do a slow visual sweep. Look closely at any device pointed at a bed, bathroom, or seating area. Check smoke detectors, clocks, chargers, and décor for tiny pinhole lenses.
- Turn off the lights and use your phone flashlight. Slowly scan the room. A camera lens can reflect a small glint of light back at you.
- Use your phone camera to spot infrared light. Many night-vision cameras emit infrared light your eye cannot see but some phone cameras can pick up as a faint glow.
- Check the Wi-Fi network. Hidden cameras often connect to the home's Wi-Fi. Some apps can scan the network for unknown devices, though this will not catch every camera.
- Look for things that seem out of place. A second smoke detector near the bed, a small hole in an object, or a charger that is plugged in but charges nothing.
- Inspect mirrors. If you can fit a fingernail's gap between your finger and its reflection, it is likely a normal mirror.
No method is perfect. If you have any doubt, treat the device as suspicious and protect yourself.
What to Do If You Find a Hidden Camera
If you discover a hidden camera, the steps you take next matter, both for your safety and for any future claim:
- Do not unplug or destroy it. Tampering can erase evidence. Photograph and video it exactly where it is.
- Document everything. Capture the device, its location, the angle it faces, and the room. Save the listing and your messages with the host.
- Get yourself somewhere safe, and consider whether you and others were recorded.
- Call the police and file a report. A hidden camera in a private space may be a crime.
- Report it to Airbnb or Vrbo through the app, in writing, so there is a record.
- Preserve your reservation, receipts, and all communications.
- Call a lawyer before accepting any refund offer or signing anything.
A quick refund is not the same as accountability. Talk to us before you settle.
Your Legal Rights: Invasion of Privacy Claims
When someone secretly records you in a place where you reasonably expect privacy, that can be an invasion of privacy, a legal wrong that may entitle you to compensation. Depending on the facts and the law where it happened, a hidden camera case may involve:
- Invasion of privacy / intrusion upon seclusion, being recorded in a private space without consent.
- Illegal recording laws. Many states make it a crime to secretly record someone in a private setting, and some also allow the victim to sue.
- Negligence, when a host or platform failed to keep guests safe from a known risk.
- Emotional distress, the fear, anxiety, and trauma of being watched.
You do not have to prove the footage was shared or sold. The violation itself can be the harm.
Can You Sue Airbnb for Hidden Cameras? What About Vrbo or the Host?
Often, yes. In a hidden-camera case the host is usually the central party. Installing or allowing a recording device inside the home violates both Airbnb's and Vrbo's published rules and may also be a crime. Responsibility can extend to a separate property owner or manager, and, depending on the facts and how they responded after the camera was reported, to Airbnb or Vrbo.
Our who is liable page explains how responsibility is sorted out. Because privacy and recording laws vary by state and filing deadlines apply, it is worth talking to a lawyer sooner rather than later, and because footage and listing details can be deleted, evidence matters most early.
Compensation for a Hidden Camera Case
Unlike most rental injuries, a hidden-camera case is rarely about hospital bills. The harm is largely psychological, and the law recognizes that. We never promise a specific result, and every case is different, but if you have a valid invasion of privacy claim, you may be able to recover money for:
- Emotional distress, anxiety, humiliation, and trauma, including PTSD, sleep problems, and a lasting sense of being unsafe
- The cost of counseling or therapy, now and going forward
- Out-of-pocket costs, such as cutting a trip short, finding new lodging, or replacing electronics you no longer trust
- In some cases, punitive or statutory damages that the law allows specifically to punish secret recording and deter it
You do not have to prove the footage was shared or sold for these harms to be real. Learn more on our compensation page.
Why Call Traction Law Group
Being secretly recorded is a deeply personal violation. We handle these cases with discretion and respect. We will investigate the host and the listing, deal with the platform, and stand up for your privacy.
We take on the large platforms and are available 24/7. There is no fee unless we win your case.
What happened to you was not okay. Let's hold them accountable.
Call 833-236-8253 for a free case review, available 24/7.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal for an Airbnb host to have a hidden camera?
Airbnb and Vrbo both prohibit hidden cameras in private spaces like bedrooms and bathrooms, and undisclosed recording devices can also violate state privacy and wiretapping laws. Whether it is criminal often depends on state law and where the camera was placed. Even without a criminal charge, a hidden camera can support a civil claim for invasion of privacy.
Do I have to prove the footage was shared to bring a privacy claim?
Usually not. The recording itself, made in a place where you reasonably expected privacy, can be the legal harm, so a claim generally does not depend on showing the footage was posted or sold. Where the footage went can be investigated later through the legal process. Fear, anxiety, and the lasting sense of being unsafe are recognized harms in these cases even when no images ever surface.
Can a disclosed outdoor camera point at a hot tub or outdoor shower?
No, not under Airbnb's or Vrbo's published rules. Outdoor cameras must be disclosed in the listing and are meant for security at entrances and access points, not for monitoring spaces where guests reasonably expect privacy, such as an outdoor shower. A camera aimed at a private area may violate platform policy and privacy law even though it sits outside and appears in the listing description. Disclosure alone does not make every placement acceptable.
What should I know before accepting a refund for a stay with a hidden camera?
A refund addresses the cost of your booking, not the privacy violation itself, and the two are separate. Read anything the host or platform asks you to sign or click, since agreeing to a release or confidentiality term in exchange for money may end your right to pursue a claim. Nothing requires you to decide on the spot. A free case review can help you understand your options.
Can a Vrbo have cameras inside?
No. Vrbo's published surveillance policy, linked above, prohibits recording devices inside the rental, and outdoor devices must be disclosed to guests. If you found a camera inside a Vrbo, the steps and the legal claims described on this page apply the same way they do for an Airbnb.