'Bedbug map' app marks 600 hotels in China, draws 200,000 users within a month

A mobile app that lets users report bedbug sightings at hotels across China has gone viral since its launch.

However, some hotels listed on the app have pushed back, disputing the accuracy of the reports and sparking controversy.

According to the South China Morning Post, the app — called "Bedbug Map" — attracted more than 200,000 users and flagged over 600 hotels within a month of its Sept. 21 launch.

Anyone can mark a hotel on the map by claiming to have spotted bedbugs there, and the report is then made visible to all users.

Wang, a manufacturing engineer, said the idea came after being bitten by bedbugs while moving house earlier this year.

"Information about bedbug-infested hotels is currently scattered, forcing consumers to spend a lot of time and effort to avoid such places," Wang said. "This infringes on people's right to know."

When the app first launched, there was no verification process, prompting a flood of complaints from hotels that formally contested what they called inaccurate listings. In response, the app was taken offline twice a week for a period last month.

Wang acknowledged the shortcomings, saying, "Because I developed it alone, it wasn't perfect."

Wang had no programming experience before using AI to write the code in July.

Following the wave of hotel complaints, the app was updated to require users to submit photos supporting their bedbug claims. Reports are typically reviewed by two other users, who determine whether the insect in the photo is indeed a bedbug.

The app also provides illustrated guides on how to identify other common insects and their bites.

Follow-up actions taken by reported hotels are also made public.

So far, four hotels have submitted business registration certificates, photos of disinfection work and third-party pest control records to request the removal of their listings.

One of them is the Guangzhou Mansion Hotel in central Beijing. A hotel official said a guest claimed to have been bitten by bedbugs during a stay and demanded a refund of 3,000 yuan ($449) for a four-night booking. The guest later shared the experience on social media and reported the hotel on the Bedbug Map app.

In response, the hotel hired a third-party pest control company to inspect the guest's room as well as 23 other randomly selected rooms. No bedbugs or bedbug eggs were found.

"We submitted the inspection results and records through the app's dispute menu, and our appeal was accepted, allowing us to have the bedbug marker removed from the map," the official said.

Concerns have also been raised that reputational damage caused by the app could easily escalate into legal disputes.

Lin Peilan, a lawyer at Beijing Jindu Law Firm, said the app should strengthen its information verification functions to ensure legal compliance. Lin advised the developer to obtain user agreements pledging to provide only factual information and to have pest identification experts available on the platform.