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Warning: This article contains offensive language and descriptions of non-consensual filming.
Victim describes shock of discovering intimate footage online
Eric, a Hong Kong resident in his 30s, was browsing a pornography channel on social media in 2023 when he recognized himself and his girlfriend in a video. The couple had unknowingly been filmed during a hotel stay in Shenzhen three weeks earlier, with their most private moments livestreamed to thousands of strangers.
"I froze," Eric said. "We had no idea we weren't alone in that room." The footage, captured by a hidden camera, was later edited into an hour-long clip and uploaded to Telegram. When Eric told his girlfriend, Emily, she initially thought it was a joke-until she saw the video herself. The revelation left her terrified that colleagues or family might have seen it, and the couple stopped speaking for weeks.
Industry thrives despite legal bans
Despite China's strict laws against producing and distributing pornography, the spy-cam industry has flourished for over a decade. In recent years, the issue has gained traction on social media, with users-particularly women-sharing tips to detect tiny cameras, some as small as a pencil eraser. Some travelers now pitch tents inside hotel rooms to avoid being filmed.
Last April, the Chinese government introduced regulations requiring hotels to conduct regular sweeps for hidden cameras. Yet the problem persists. A BBC investigation uncovered thousands of recent spy-cam videos filmed in hotel rooms and sold as porn across multiple websites and Telegram channels.
Livestreaming networks exploit unsuspecting guests
Over 18 months, the BBC identified six websites and apps promoted on Telegram, collectively operating over 180 livestreaming spy-cams in hotel rooms. One site monitored for seven months showed content from 54 cameras, about half of which were active at any given time. Based on typical occupancy rates, the BBC estimates thousands of guests were filmed without their knowledge during that period.
A key figure in the trade, known as "AKA," sold access to a livestreaming platform for 450 yuan ($65) per month. Subscribers could choose from multiple camera feeds, rewind livestreams, and download archived clips. AKA's Telegram channel had up to 10,000 members, and his video library contained over 6,000 clips dating back to 2017.
Subscribers openly mocked and sexually objectified the unsuspecting guests, celebrating when couples began having sex and complaining if they turned off the lights. Women were frequently called derogatory names in the chat.
How the cameras operate-and who profits
The BBC traced one camera to a hotel room in Zhengzhou, central China, where it was hidden in a ventilation unit and wired into the building's electricity supply. A hidden-camera detector, marketed as essential for travelers, failed to detect it. After the camera was disabled, AKA quickly replaced it with another in a different hotel, boasting to subscribers about the platform's efficiency.
AKA and other agents appear to work for higher-ups in the supply chain, referred to as "camera owners." During a conversation, AKA accidentally shared a screenshot of a message from "Brother Chun," whom he identified as one of these owners. Brother Chun later claimed to be just another sales agent but acknowledged the existence of a larger network.
The financial incentives are substantial. Based on subscription fees, the BBC estimates AKA earned at least 163,200 yuan ($22,000) since last April-nearly four times China's average annual income of 43,377 yuan ($6,200). Despite strict regulations on spy-cam sales, the BBC found it easy to purchase one in Huaqiangbei, China's largest electronics market.
Legal action rare, removal efforts often futile
Data on prosecutions for spy-cam porn is scarce, as Chinese authorities have released fewer case details in recent years. However, cases have been documented across the country, from Jilin province in the north to Guangdong in the south.
Blue Li, from the Hong Kong-based NGO RainLily, which helps victims remove non-consensual explicit content, says demand for their services is rising. However, Telegram rarely responds to removal requests, forcing victims to negotiate with the same administrators who profit from the content. "Tech companies must take responsibility," Li said. "Their policies shape how this content spreads."
The BBC reported AKA and Brother Chun to Telegram, but the platform took no action. After being presented with the full investigation findings 10 days later, Telegram stated that non-consensual pornography is explicitly banned and that it proactively moderates content. Shortly after the BBC contacted AKA and Brother Chun with its findings, their Telegram accounts were deleted-but the livestreaming website AKA promoted remains active.
Trauma lingers for victims
Eric and Emily continue to struggle with the aftermath of their experience. They now wear hats in public to avoid recognition and avoid staying in hotels. Eric no longer uses Telegram for porn but still checks the channels occasionally, fearing the video might resurface. "It's a violation that doesn't end," he said.
