A German tourist in California has said she is “humiliated and angry” at discovering a hidden camera in her Airbnb rental.
Yvonne Schumacher is taking Airbnb to court in San Francisco for negligence, claiming that the firm does not vet owners of the properties who use Airbnb to attract renters.
While staying with her partner in an apartment rented through Airbnb, the camera was used to film and record her secretly over several days.
The camera was hidden in the living room and was later found to have a wide angle lens and was being controlled remotely so that it could follow them around the room.
"Mrs. Schumacher is deeply humiliated and angry about the fact that the camera was and/or could have been used to spy upon her while she was completely undressed and walking around within the property," the lawsuit says.
The camera was also used to record “personal and intimate” conversations between the pair.
Ms Schumacher fears that nude pictures could appear on public internet fora or be used to blackmail her.
The devise was discovered by the couple when they noticed a light showing between two candles on a shelf.
Even after she filed a complaint with Airbnb, the property remained listed on the site, according to Schumacher’s lawyer.
Airbnb said such cases are extremely rare.
“Over 65 million guests have had positive trusting experiences with Airbnb,” it said.
This is not the first time that Airbnb has had trouble with owners or guests. Hidden cameras were also found in a Canadian property and one owner discovered that her property has been used to make a porn film.
