A group of friends from Metro Vancouver were shocked and frightened to discover a hidden camera at their Airbnb rental on the Sunshine Coast. Kennedy Calwell, one of the guests, shared her terrifying experience in a viral TikTok video that has been viewed nearly six million times.
Calwell and 14 of her friends had rented a home in Gibsons to celebrate a milestone 30th birthday in mid-March. During their stay, one of the guests had seen a video about hidden cameras and decided to investigate their rental property. They found a camera lens at the bottom of the outlet socket in both bathrooms, which faced the direction of the shower.
“We didn’t sign up for Big Brother. We didn’t expect there to be cameras, especially in places of privacy. These are intimate, private moments. Now someone out there has it on their computer or on their hard drive or they’re sharing it on the internet. That is super violating,” said Melissa Woolfson, one of the guests.
Despite their fears, they didn’t feel comfortable turning off the power to investigate the hidden camera. Instead, they covered the cameras and tried to sleep on edge. They left the rental property as soon as they could the next morning.
After the police on the Sunshine Coast informed them that cameras had been found, Calwell posted about their ordeal on social media to raise awareness and warn others. Sunshine Coast RCMP confirmed that they are actively investigating but could not release details at this time.
Airbnb said that they have suspended the listing and are investigating the incident. “We ban hidden cameras and previously refunded the guest as we investigate this allegation,” the company said in an email to CTV News Vancouver.
Calwell said that they are waiting for the investigation to conclude to find out who’s responsible for placing the cameras in the socket. They are also in contact with a lawyer and plan to take legal action.
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