An Instagram video shared by @playdatewithelle recounts a lawsuit filed by an Airbnb guest who claims a host retaliated against him by sending his wife doorbell camera footage allegedly showing him arriving at a rental property with another woman. Below the podcast clip, viewers are asked whether the host's action or the guest's was more problematic.
According to the video, the guest rented an Airbnb property during a football weekend. But after his stay, the host allegedly charged him $960 for violating house rules. The guest refused to pay those fees and instead thought it better to post a negative review of the property.
Then the host emailed the guest's wife with a doorbell camera image that apparently showed the man returning to the rental at around 3 a.m. with another woman. Since then, the guest has sued both the host and Airbnb, and maintains that the incident violated his privacy and damaged his marriage. The host, however, denies sending the email.
The podcasters discussing the story split over the dispute, though. "That's gotta be illegal," one said after hearing the allegation that the image had been sent to the guest's wife. The other, after hearing the circumstances surrounding the review dispute, said, "That is the worst Airbnb of all time." The conversation ended with one host asking, "So you think he's in the right?" The question is open for viewers to decide.
Online, commenters didn't have much sympathy for the guest and said any marital fallout was from his own alleged actions rather than the claimed disclosure. "The man thinks the email damaged his marriage and not his actions that damaged it? Says a lot, doesn't it?" one Instagram user wrote. Another commented, "He deserved it!" Others sided more broadly with the host, with one writing, "Best Airbnb ever."
Some, however, are concerned that allegedly sharing surveillance footage with someone outside the booking could amount to a privacy violation. "Does Airbnb even give you privacy rights? And pretty sure they got footage from the inside too," one wrote, though the video only speaks of a doorbell camera image and there is no evidence of interior surveillance.
Yet another asked, "Do you think [Airbnb] should be sued?"
Disclaimer: DailyDot could not independently confirm the facts of this incident and is reporting based on the information available.
