Hidden Cameras Raise Privacy Concerns in Short-Term Rentals and Public Spaces

Experts warn that tiny, hidden cameras are becoming increasingly common and difficult to detect.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Recent incidents in Oxford, Mississippi and Lafayette County have highlighted the growing problem of hidden cameras in public restrooms, vacation rentals, and other private spaces. Experts say cameras are getting smaller and easier to conceal, making it challenging for people to know if they are being recorded. An Arkansas couple discovered a hidden camera disguised as a smoke detector in their vacation rental, while a demonstration at the University of Memphis revealed how difficult it can be to detect these hidden devices.

Why it matters

The proliferation of hidden cameras raises serious privacy concerns, as people may unknowingly have their most intimate moments recorded without consent. This issue impacts not just vacation rentals, but also public restrooms and other spaces where people expect privacy. Raising awareness and providing tools to detect hidden cameras is crucial to protecting individual privacy.

The details

In separate incidents, hidden cameras were discovered in a women's restroom in Oxford, Mississippi and a vacation rental in Lafayette County. An Arkansas couple found a camera disguised as a smoke detector in their Scottsdale, Arizona rental. To demonstrate how easy it is to conceal cameras, experts at the University of Memphis hid devices in their lab, including one in a fake key fob that wasn't detected by a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth scanner. Specialized tools using infrared light were required to find all the hidden cameras.

  • In July, a hidden camera was discovered in a women's restroom in Oxford, Mississippi.
  • In August, another hidden camera was found in a vacation rental in Lafayette County, Mississippi.

The players

Eliot Young

An Arkansas man who discovered a hidden camera disguised as a smoke detector in his vacation rental in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Dr. Christos Papadopoulos

A cybersecurity and computer science professor at the University of Memphis who demonstrated how easily hidden cameras can be concealed and the tools required to detect them.

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What they’re saying

“I looked at my wife, and I said, 'That's a damn video camera,' and she thought I was crazy.”

— Eliot Young

“Cameras are getting so small these days, it's very easy to hide. It's almost impossible to find it. All you need is a little tiny hole for the lens.”

— Dr. Christos Papadopoulos, Professor of Cybersecurity and Computer Science, University of Memphis

“It is extremely scary, because if you don't know there's a camera in the room and you don't expect a camera in the room, then I suspect many people would get uncomfortable.”

— Dr. Christos Papadopoulos, Professor of Cybersecurity and Computer Science, University of Memphis

What’s next

Police in Scottsdale, Arizona are continuing to investigate the hidden camera found in the vacation rental to determine if any victims were recorded without their knowledge.

The takeaway

This issue highlights the growing need for greater awareness and tools to detect hidden cameras in public spaces and short-term rentals, in order to protect individual privacy and prevent unauthorized recording of intimate moments.