Cork airbnb spy camera rumbled

whisky_galore

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/airbnb-apologises-to-family-who-were-live-streamed-by-hidden-camera-in-cork-property-915588.html

Data Protection Commision getting stuck in now...


"There is no way to know whether the camera was recording. We asked the host but he refused to answer. We also asked if it was recording audio, again he refused to answer."

When her husband said they could see themselves on the camera, the host "became flustered and hung up".


"He later called back and admitted there was only one hidden camera and that he had installed it to 'protect his asset'."

Ciaran_B

he noticed a device called 'IP camera'.

"He later called back and admitted there was only one hidden camera and that he had installed it to 'protect his asset'."

That landlord must be the dumbest mother fcker on the planet. I hope he's sued into bankruptcy.

Zorya

Disturbing.

Sonics2k

The worst part of this story is that AirBnB said they did nothing wrong. It was only after they went to the media the complaint was taken seriously.

Vic_08

Sonics2k wrote: »

The worst part of this story is that AirBnB said they did nothing wrong. It was only after they went to the media the complaint was taken seriously.

Like many of their "disruptor" compatriots Airbnb have consistently refused to deal with any of the negatives that their platform has crated until their hand has been forced through negative publicity.

Just another morally bankrupt silicon valley greed machine with a thin veneer of high values to cover the reality that they only care about their profit and image.

topper75

The handling by the company was dreadfully amateur at best.

Wheety

Is what he was doing illegal? Can he be prosecuted?

Red_Wake

Any videos of the guests riding yet?

_Brian

Wheety wrote: »

Is what he was doing illegal? Can he be prosecuted?

When you rent to somebody the property is considered their home but not house as that is the landlords property.

Secret recording of people on their private residence is a major violation of their privacy. I would completely expect a prosecution over this.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/dublin-man-with-16-cctv-cameras-convicted-of-harassment-after-secretly-filming-neighbours-37134212.html

Your Face

Probably a bigger problem than we think.

Deebles McBeebles

Red_Wake wrote: »

Any videos of the guests riding yet?

www.corksfinestspybai.org

valoren

If you are sufficiently paranoid about 'protecting your asset' to feel the need to install a secret camera you have no business renting it out on AirBnB. The excuse given is bull****.

It's one thing to wish to protect your property but that demands full disclosure and complete transparency for people who are renting. It's part of the conditions AirBnB require e.g. "Please note that a security camera is installed in xyz locations etc". It's a gross invasion of privacy and the person can have zero complaints if they get in serious trouble.

Tenshot

The family's travel blog is at https://sixfortwelve.wordpress.com/ (well worth a read; some great travel photos from around Ireland).

The original video screenshot on the blog looks like this:



which indicates the camera live-view URL is at /video/livemb.asp

Cross-checking that URL against Google throws up this thread about an issue with a camera using the same URL:

https://forum.smartapfel.de/forum/thread/2221-wifi-cam-über-homebridge-in-home-einbinden/

which includes a link to the camera in question:

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07CJPQ9LQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00

(Not definitely the same one, but probably very similar.)

From this, it looks like the camera has the option to record video to an onboard microSD card using motion detection. No audio.

I wonder would the family have been within their rights to kill power to the camera, remove the SD card, review its contents, and erase any video clips featuring family members, given that presumably their Airbnb agreement gave them the exclusive use of the house and its contents for the duration of their stay there?

Zorya

Tenshot wrote: »

The family's travel blog is at https://sixfortwelve.wordpress.com/ (well worth a read; some great travel photos from around Ireland).

The original video screenshot on the blog looks like this:



which indicates the camera live-view URL is at /video/livemb.asp

Cross-checking that URL against Google throws up this thread about an issue with a camera using the same URL:

https://forum.smartapfel.de/forum/thread/2221-wifi-cam-über-homebridge-in-home-einbinden/

which includes a link to the camera in question:

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07CJPQ9LQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00

(Not definitely the same one, but probably very similar.)

From this, it looks like the camera has the option to record video to an onboard microSD card using motion detection. No audio.

I wonder would the family have been within their rights to kill power to the camera, remove the SD card, review its contents, and erase any video clips featuring family members, given that presumably their Airbnb agreement gave them the exclusive use of the house and its contents for the duration of their stay there?

Good sleuthing! It's all quite creepy. I use Airbnb a lot, in fact have been scouring for places the past few days. So far it has always been great, but this story is disturbing. Ugh.

Kivaro

Zorya wrote: »

Good sleuthing! It's all quite creepy. I use Airbnb a lot, in fact have been scouring for places the past few days. So far it has always been great, but this story is disturbing. Ugh.

There's a website dedicated to the horror stories of AirBnB, and they are really disturbing.
Whatever you do, do not venture onto that site.

Jurgen Klopp

Isn't there a student here on boards that just found out a supposed motion sensor in his room is also rigged with a camera?

Sonics2k

Kivaro wrote: »

There's a website dedicated to the horror stories of AirBnB, and they are really disturbing.
Whatever you do, do not venture onto that site.

Yeah, you can't just say something like that and not give a link. We demand a link!

Edgware

Jurgen Klopp wrote: »

Isn't there a student here on boards that just found out a supposed motion sensor in his room is also rigged with a camera?

.

There have been a number of cases over the years where landlords have been spying on tenants (particularly female tenants)

Atoms for Peace

I've never used air bnb as I'm useless at writing cornball online bio's.

Larbre34

Im going to be a hypocrite here. Yes these C2C providers like AirBnB, Uber and the rest are only interested in profit and run away at the first sniff of responsibility or liability.

But, if I had a property let myself Id have no qualms about putting cameras in the reception rooms "to protect the asset". I just wouldn't be dense enough to name it Cammy McCammface and have it on the open wifi.

BrokenArrows

If the landlord wants to put up a camera in and AirBNB then he has the right to do that, but it should be visible and the tenants need to be made aware of it before paying for their stay.

Obviously it cant be in bedrooms or bathrooms.

Poor Uncle Tom

BrokenArrows wrote: »

If the landlord wants to put up a camera in and AirBNB then he has the right to do that, but it should be visible and the tenants need to be made aware of it before paying for their stay.

Obviously it cant be in bedrooms or bathrooms.

Unlike a certain restaurant I know about, where the female owner has two cameras installed in the male toilets for her own amusement.......

s8n

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

Unlike a certain restaurant I know about, where the female owner has two cameras installed in the male toilets for her own amusement.......

????

Poor Uncle Tom

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

Unlike a certain restaurant I know about, where the female owner has two cameras installed in the male toilets for her own amusement.......

I call bullsh1t

Fanny Wank

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

Unlike a certain restaurant I know about, where the female owner has two cameras installed in the male toilets for her own amusement.......

This didn't happen did it?

Poor Uncle Tom

Fanny **** wrote: »

This didn't happen did it?

yeah, happened ok, what amusement she gets I don't know, but the cameras are there.

Larbre34

Folks you'd be naive to think there aren't thousands and thousands of undeclared pinhole cameras in rented gaffs, hotels, gyms and workplaces, for every reason from insurance to staff behaviour to perversion. Especially independent or small operations without a corporate structure.

The simplest way to cope with it is to assume they are there and to get wise about how to spot them physically and digitally like our visitor from NZ.

Zorya

Larbre34 wrote: »

Folks you'd be naive to think there aren't thousands and thousands of undeclared pinhole cameras in rented gaffs, hotels, gyms and workplaces, for every reason from insurance to staff behaviour to perversion. Especially independent or small operations without a corporate structure.

The simplest way to cope with it is to assume they are there and to get wise about how to spot them physically and digitally like our visitor from NZ.

Aaaaarggghh. Do you remember Granny used to say wear clean underwear in case you get hit by a bus?Fast forward to now and it's wear nice underwear in case you end up on Pornhub. :eek:

Ten of Swords

...After Andy hacked the live-feed and called the owner to ask what the fudge sticks was going on

No need for that kind of language :pac:

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/news/through-the-keyhole-family-claim-they-were-secretly-filmed-on-holiday-by-irish-airbnb-host-37985273.html