An Airbnb host has shared footage of a guest covering a doorbell camera — and it has divided TikTok.
The video shows someone reaching around the doorframe to place a tea towel over the doorbell as on-screen text reads: “That time an Airbnb guest thought it was a good idea to put a towel over the Ring camera.”
The host referred to them as “bonehead guests” in the caption, and used the hashtag “idiot squad”.
The clip certainly seems to have piqued his audience’s curiosity as it has received 3.6 million views since it was uploaded in October 2021.
@therealwilliamstark Bonehead guest thought doing this was a good idea #fyp #airbnbhost #idiotsquad #airbnb
Not everyone agreed that the guests were “boneheads”, however.
One user wrote: “How odd — a guest wanting privacy.” Another added: “I don’t agree with being spied on at Airbnb”.
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Several commenters explained why the camera is there in the first place. A commenter said the guests could bring in “a ton of people or animals or things not allowed”.
Another said: “You were informed it was there. It’s their security. It’s on the outside. Grow up people. We have a right to safeguard our property.”
Some said having a camera outside the house is no different to hotel hallway having cameras.
However a commenter said that, although she wouldn’t care about visual security cameras, she does find the ones that pick up sound “inappropriate” for a rental.
One TikToker also made the point: “The difference between a hotel camera and an Airbnb. Hotels I’m never worried about the video showing up on social media.”
Some took the opportunity to share experiences in which they’ve had a nosy Airbnb host.
“I stayed at an Airbnb and had food delivered,” a TikToker wrote. “She contacted me about my food before the dasher did. It gave stalker vibes”.
This isn’t the first time the Airbnb host has had guests covering the camera.
In a later video,…