Morocco: major change at Airbnb

No more surveillance cameras in the accommodations that Airbnb rents out. Interior security cameras are now 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. She will add: "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."

Until now, interior security cameras were allowed in common areas. The only condition: the devices must be clearly indicated on the property listing page and installed in clearly visible locations of the house.

Cameras have never been allowed in spaces such as bedrooms or bathrooms. However, Airbnb does allow the use of doorbell cameras and noise detectors in common areas. These devices must also be indicated on the property listing page.

By adopting this new rule, the American platform is seeking to strike a balance between the need for hosts to be able to control the security of their property and be aware of issues such as unauthorized parties, while prioritizing the privacy of guests.

This new rule, which will come into effect on April 30, comes a few days after the airing of a parody Airbnb ad (viewed over 1.2 million times on YouTube) featuring a joke about a hidden camera in the toilet during the American comedy show Saturday Night Live.