Privacy Concerns in Smart Airbnbs
Explore essential research topic ideas for 2025 addressing privacy concerns between guests and hosts in smart-enabled Airbnbs. Understand the implications and solutions for a secure rental experience.
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Realyn Manalo
5/7/20253 min read
Would you still feel safe staying in a home where someone might be watching without you knowing it? That’s exactly what Airbnb is now trying to fix. After years of allowing visible cameras in common indoor areas, the company is finally banning all indoor security cameras starting April 30. This move comes after multiple guests shared disturbing stories online about finding hidden cameras, even in private spaces. The goal is to make the rules clearer and protect what matters most: your privacy.
This bold step by Airbnb brings one of the biggest concerns in smart-enabled rentals to light—the blurry line between safety and surveillance. While smart devices like locks and noise sensors help hosts protect their property, guests often feel like their privacy is at risk, especially when they're not told what’s watching them. With more homes using smart tech in the Philippines, this change highlights a growing need to rethink how we balance convenience, safety, and personal space in every Airbnb stay.
Who Can Use These Topics
This research is ideal for students and professionals pursuing the following courses or strands:
College Programs:
BS Hospitality Management
BS Tourism Management
BS in Information Technology
BS in Computer Science
BA in Communication
BA in Political Science
BA in Public Administration
Senior High School Strands:
TVL – Tourism
TVL - Home Economics
HUMSS
STEM
General Academic Strand (GAS)
Why This Topic Needs Research
Smart Airbnb environments are understudied in terms of long-term privacy impacts and operational safeguards. Key gaps include:
Absence of scalable privacy negotiation systems: Although tenants are open to negotiating smart device use, there's little research on how platforms can enable these conversations at scale. Future studies must explore culturally adaptive, tech-integrated privacy tools (Wang et al., 2023).
Weak accountability and host disclosure practices: While some hosts disclose smart device use, practices are inconsistent. Research should develop policy frameworks and user-friendly design features that support transparency and negotiation across listings (Park et al., 2024).
Lack of demographic- and tech-specific privacy assessments: Studies show different smart devices (e.g., AR/VR, biometrics) influence privacy differently across age, culture, and travel motivations. Future work should assess how guest profiles shape privacy perceptions (Femenia-Serra et al., 2022).
Neglect of bystander privacy and dynamic guest relationships: Existing smart home policies rarely consider bystanders or shared settings like Airbnbs. Research must propose real-time consent tools and design innovations to support more inclusive privacy protection (Alshehri et al., 2022).
Gaps in guest consent and transparency in digital tourism: While digital services improve convenience, they often lack clarity about what data is collected. Future studies should assess how hospitality tech can uphold privacy-by-design and guest-informed consent (Marcelo, 2023).
Unclear cybersecurity protocols in smart hotels and homestays: Post-pandemic smart hospitality requires robust privacy safeguards. Future research should explore digital governance and the integration of cyber-resilience into Airbnb and hotel platforms (Abad & Toledo, 2023).
Low guest awareness and ethical adoption in mid-tier markets: Though guests benefit from smart features, many remain unaware of data risks. Research must evaluate how technology rollout aligns with guest trust and ethical handling of digital information (Legaspi et al., 2023).
Feasibility & Challenges by Target Group
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References
Abad, J. S., & Toledo, J. M. (2023). Smart Applications in the Tourism Industry: Basis for Strategic Planning.
Alshehri, A., Spielman, J., Prasad, A., & Yue, C. (2022). Exploring the privacy concerns of bystanders in smart homes from the perspectives of both owners and bystanders. Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies.
Femenia-Serra, F., Ioannou, A., & Tussyadiah, I. P. (2022). Is smart scary? A mixed-methods study on privacy in smart tourism. Current Issues in Tourism, 25(14), 2212-2238.
Legaspi, J. E. P., Huerto, I. A. D., Advincula, M. P. L., Taperla, R. C., & Camalig, J. Y. (2023). Exploring the Effects of Technological Advancements on Hotel Guests and Employees in Metro Manila: A Comparative Study.
Marcelo, J. S. (2023). Digitalized Tourism Practices of Selected Entrepreneurial Hotels in the Philippines Towards a Safe Travel Experience. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 2(1), 1-12.
Park, S., He, W., Deldari, E., Emami-Naeini, P., Huang, D. Y., Vitak, J., ... & Zimmer, M. (2024). Well-intended but half-hearted:{Hosts’} consideration of {guests’} privacy using smart devices on rental properties. In Twentieth Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS 2024) (pp. 179-198).
Wang, Z., Huang, D. Y., & Yao, Y. (2023). Exploring tenants' preferences of privacy negotiation in airbnb. In 32nd USENIX Security Symposium (USENIX Security 23) (pp. 535-551).