What began as a vacation turned into a nightmare for a couple who unknowingly became victims of the "spy cam" industry. They were secretly filmed and had private clips shared while staying at a hotel in Shenzhen, China, as a BBC investigation found hidden cameras in more than 180 hotels.
BBC News revealed the silent threat facing tourists who fall victim to hidden cameras inside hotels in Shenzhen, China. One such victim, identified as Eric (a pseudonym), was scrolling through his usual social media platform for adult content when he suddenly froze upon seeing a video of himself and his girlfriend.
The video showed the couple entering their room, placing their bags down, and private moments thereafter. Eric immediately recognized the footage as from a night three weeks earlier when they stayed at a hotel in Shenzhen, southern China, completely unaware that someone else was secretly watching them in the room.
Their private moments were recorded by a hidden camera concealed in the hotel room and shared with thousands of viewers logged into the same adult content platform Eric used.
The Spy Cam Porn Industry in China: Illegal but Still Widespread
Hidden camera pornography, or spy-cam porn, has existed in China for at least a decade, despite strict laws banning the production and distribution of adult content.
Over the past two to three years, this issue has gained significant attention on social media, especially among women who have begun sharing tips to detect hidden cameras—some as small as pencil erasers. Some even go as far as camping out in hotel rooms to avoid being secretly filmed.
Although the Chinese government introduced new regulations last April requiring hotels to regularly check for hidden cameras, the threat remains unresolved.
Meanwhile, BBC investigators found hidden live-stream cameras in over 180 hotels, with thousands of hidden camera videos from hotel rooms sold as adult content across various websites and apps, most notably advertised via the Telegram app.
Over an 18-month period, BBC identified at least six websites or apps claiming to have hidden cameras in hotel rooms across more than 180 hotels. These cameras not only record but also live-stream guests' activities in real time.
One website, monitored for seven months, was found to have at least 54 cameras, potentially capturing thousands of unsuspecting guests without their knowledge.
BBC discovered a major dealer using the alias "AKA," charging 450 yuan per month for live-stream access, allowing subscribers to watch multiple hotel rooms simultaneously and review or download past clips.
In a Telegram group with over 10,000 members, viewers openly comment on the guests' appearances, physical features, and sexual performance, frequently using derogatory language toward women.
BBC also traced one hotel in Zhengzhou city where they found a hidden camera concealed in an air vent above the bed, directly connected to the building's electrical system.
Alarmingly, commonly sold hidden camera detectors could not detect this camera.
BBC estimated that AKA alone might have earned at least 160,000 yuan in less than a year, while the average annual income in China is around 43,000 yuan.
Hong Kong women's rights group RainLily stated that requesting platforms like Telegram to remove clips is nearly impossible because tech companies are not neutral platforms, and their policies directly affect content dissemination.
Although Telegram asserts it prohibits sharing non-consensual adult content, many such networks continue to operate.
Source:BBC
Related news:Hidden camera videos