Influencer Uncovers Hidden Camera in Marrakech Airbnb, Sparking Global Privacy Crackdown

The influencer Pauline (@himynamespaul_ on TikTok) was marked by her vacation in Marrakech. A few days after her arrival in an Airbnb accommodation with her friends, the young woman comes across a suspicious photo frame placed in front of the shower, reports La Dernière Heure. She inspects it more closely. To her great surprise, she discovers a camouflaged lens, an on/off button and an SD card slot. She is convinced that the object was placed there during their absence.

The group immediately alerts the Moroccan authorities. They proceed to arrest the owner. Subsequently, the Airbnb listing was removed. Legal proceedings are underway. In a video published on TikTok, Pauline denounced the facts. This video has accumulated more than ten million views.

The Pauline case is not an isolated incident. Similar cases have been recorded in Europe in recent years. The proliferation of these cases has prompted Airbnb to ban surveillance cameras inside rented properties on the site. Since March 2024, indoor security cameras have been banned from all listings, in all countries, including Morocco, regardless of their location, purpose or prior disclosure.

"These changes have been made in consultation with our guests, hosts and privacy experts, and we will continue to gather feedback to ensure our policies work for our global community," said Juniper Downs, Head of Community Policy and Partnerships at Airbnb. And she added: "Given that the majority of listings on Airbnb do not report the presence of a security camera, this update should impact a more limited subset of listings on the platform."