As Hosts, you can take steps to help keep children safe from sexual exploitation in your listing. With this in mind, we strongly encourage you to report suspected cases of child sexual exploitation to the CyberTipline. Also, you are required to follow Airbnb’s policy on use of cameras and recording devices if you use cameras around your listing. As outlined in the policy, cameras and other recording devices are not allowed to monitor the interior of the listing and exterior devices should be disclosed in the listing description.
Child sexual exploitation can take many forms and is generally defined as:
Children who are being sexually abused may display a range of behaviors characteristic of a person who has experienced trauma. Below are some common indicators that a child could be experiencing sexual exploitation:
Child sexual exploitation can happen online or in person, and research shows 1 out of 5 girls and 1 out of 20 boys will experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 18. LGBT youth are roughly 7.4 times more likely to experience acts of sexual violence than heterosexual homeless youth.
Hosts who use cameras are not allowed to have these devices monitor the interior of the listing, even if disconnected or turned off. All exterior cameras and other recording devices should be disclosed to guests so they can take appropriate steps to ensure cameras do not inadvertently capture nude images of the children staying in the listing. Hosts should also enable strong cybersecurity practices to minimize chances of any cameras being hacked and utilized to capture nude images of children.
For more details on how to prevent child sexual exploitation, you can check out educational materials from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, ECPAT-USA, and the International Center for Missing & Exploited Children.