Operators of the "Devil's Wheel" ride at Munich's Oktoberfest beer festival in Germany are giving free tight shorts to women and girls wearing skirts after discovering at least 32,000 upskirt videos shared on social media. Some clips have millions of views and have earned thousands of euros for the posters, while police and activists call for stronger preventive measures.
The popular Oktoberfest ride operators in Munich, Germany, are distributing free tight-fitting shorts, or cycling shorts, to women and girls wearing skirts to prevent upskirt filming, following the discovery of many such videos circulating on social media.
The ride, known as Teufelsrad or "Devil's Wheel," is one of Oktoberfest's oldest attractions, held over 16 days and ending this weekend. Riders sit on a circular platform that spins increasingly fast until they lose balance and fall. The motion and speed easily lift riders' skirts, especially those wearing traditional Bavarian dresses called "Dirndl."
Some upskirt videos filmed on this ride have amassed millions of views. Local broadcaster BR reported that one woman earned as much as 9,000 euros (about 350,000 baht) from a single clip.
An investigation by the Munich-based newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung found at least 32,000 clips of women on the Devil's Wheel circulating online, with some viewed millions of times. BR reported that some videos were produced and shared by professional YouTubers from Ukraine and several individuals in Bavaria.
In Germany, filming under a skirt without consent is illegal and punishable by up to two years in prison. However, digital rights activists say current laws have loopholes, as they do not cover all cases of women being filmed in sexually abusive ways.
Elisabeth Polazzi, the 80-year-old operator of the Devil's Wheel, said she has been giving free shorts to women and girls wearing skirts for the past three years to prevent people in the crowd from secretly filming with phones. This year, she has distributed over 100 pairs.
Polazzi said although buying shorts to distribute costs money, she considers it worthwhile to make riders feel safe. She added she wants to do everything possible to reassure women using the ride.
Inside the Devil's Wheel tent, signs in German and English, along with police posters, warn that upskirt filming is illegal. Polazzi admitted, however, that it is difficult to control everyone using smartphones around the area.
Some female waitstaff working at Oktoberfest this year have also started wearing shorts under their Dirndl dresses to protect against secret filming.
Bavarian police said that since 2025, they have run poster campaigns inside Oktoberfest to warn about upskirt filming. This year, they arrested a 45-year-old Swiss man for filming under a German woman's skirt with a phone. Last year, there were 10 such arrests, and in 2024, seven.
Josefine Ballong, director of the nonprofit Hate Aid, which assists digital violence victims, said current laws do not sufficiently protect victims. The law applies only when filming under a skirt is intentional, but does not cover cases where a skirt accidentally lifts and someone takes a photo.
Ballong also warned about the risks of camera glasses, which can make covert recording easier. She called on those sharing private or abusive images of women online, as well as the platforms hosting them, to take responsibility and face appropriate penalties.
Meanwhile, Munich has increased controls on influencers and creators filming at Oktoberfest, banning live streaming inside the event and requiring filming permits and payment of fees from those wishing to shoot content.
This year, several hundred influencers were granted permits, some of whom earn income from advertising, product placements, and brand sponsorships.
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