One woman says she had a frightening experience in an Airbnb. Now she says the host saw her video about it and people are accusing her of “playing the victim.”
Bessie (@bessiept2) was casually looking around her Airbnb when she says she saw something that didn’t look quite right. A decorative owl facing the bathroom seemed off to her, she says.
Concerned that it might be a surveillance camera, Bessie took to TikTok for guidance.
She filmed a 10-second video of herself picking up the owl and showing it to the camera. Then she posted it with the caption, “We’re in an Airbnb and I’ll crash out, IS THIS A CAMERA?!” In the video, you can see what appears to be a tiny circle that arguably resembles a camera lens in one of the owl’s eyes.
Bessie’s video swiftly went viral. Within a day, it’s racked up 4 million views and counting. Nearly 2,500 people have commented on it.
‘Please make a police report’
People were seriously disturbed by Bessie’s video. Several urged her to report the host to Airbnb and go to the authorities.
“Don’t JUST report it to Airbnb, please make a police report,” reads a comment from a sympathizer. “Airbnb will only ban them from listing, who knows WHAT this camera has saved.”
Many were of the opinion that the otherwise normal-looking owl is in fact a camera. Advice on how to be sure poured in. One suggested Bessie reverse image search the owl. Another said she should take a photo of the eye with the flash on. “If it’s red and beams back, it’s actively recording,” they said.
Some thought they recognize the owl.
“Misty gave that same one to Natalie in Yellowjackets to spy on her,” wrote one, prompting multiple comments agreeing with them.
(Side note to fans of the popular Showtime series: Yellowjackets still hasn’t been renewed for a fourth season. We’re disappointed too.)
In the end, Bessie decided to find out if the owl is a camera for herself. In a follow-up TikTok, she says she popped its eye out.
There was no camera inside, she says.
Airbnb’s hidden camera issue
It may have turned out to be a false alarm, but the possibility of there being a surveillance camera in Bessie’s Airbnb nevertheless inspired comments dragging the company.
“Why in 2025 people still think it’s secure to use Airbnb is beyond me. Just use a hotel,” a critic posted.
Another wrote, “Someday we’re going to talk about Airbnb the same way we talk about hitchhiking.”
They’re referring to the fact that Airbnb has been rocked by multiple controversies in recent years over hosts’ bad behavior. Stories about hosts secretly filming guests have been some of its biggest scandals.
Airbnb strictly prohibits hosts from using surveillance cameras inside their rentals. But that hasn’t stopped some from breaking the rules by installing them.
Last year, CNN reported that the company has disclosed the problem in its financial filings while simultaneously working to keep the public from knowing the true scope of the issue with secret cameras in Airbnbs.
Since 2013, Airbnb has reportedly generated 35,000 customer complaint tickets about surveillance cameras in rental properties. The company said that a single incident could generate multiple tickets and that complaints aren’t necessarily about nefariously placed cameras, per CNN. But it purportedly declined to give specifics.
More drama
In a follow-up TikTok, Bessie says she initially posted a video of herself removing the owl’s eye.
Then she says the host contacted her. Apparently she’d seen the videos. Bessie says the host asked her to take down posts “where I wasn’t talking kindly about her.” Bessie says she agreed.
As for the owl, she and her boyfriend offered to reimburse the host twice what it cost, she adds.
People still have mixed feelings. Although Bessie clearly says there was no camera, many remain unconvinced.
A few have taken issue with Bessie not deleting her post asking whether the owl is a camera.
“You know it’s not but still have the video up….” wrote one.
Bessie, who has 881 followers as of this writing, insists she never expected so many people to watch and react to her posts.
“I never in a million years thought it would reach this many opinions,” she captioned her most recent TikTok about the incident.
@bessiept2 We’re in an Airbnb and I’ll crash out, IS THIS A CAMERA?! It’s facing the bathroom
♬ original sound – 999 ☀️
The Mary Sue sent Bessie a direct message but her account does not accept messages from others without her permission.
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