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    Half Tones

    Airbnb Apologizes After Hidden Camera Found in Eastern China

    May 07, 2019

    Short-term lodging service Airbnb has apologized after a secret camera was discovered at one of its rental properties in eastern China, according to a report Monday by Sixth Tone’s sister publication, The Paper.

    In a statement sent to the outlet, Airbnb said that the property in the coastal city of Qingdao had been removed from its platform and that the company would refund the guests who had found the camera concealed inside an internet router facing the bed last week. Earlier Monday, Beijing Youth Daily reported that authorities in Qingdao had detained the property’s host for 20 days and issued him a fine of 500 yuan ($74) for allegedly filming guests in secret since March.

    Airbnb has faced multiple controversies in the past for its service in China. Last week, tech media outlet Wired reported that it had found 35 Airbnb listings in the country discriminating against some of China’s ethnic minority groups. And a promotional campaign inviting guests to spend the night in a fully furnished tower along the Great Wall of China backfired in 2018, prompting Airbnb to cancel the event. (Image: @中国警方在线 on Weibo)