A report has uncovered a sprawling underground network in China that secretly films hotel guests with hidden cameras and sells the footage as pornography, exposing thousands of unsuspecting people to serious privacy violations.
The issue came to light when “Eric” (name changed), a man from Hong Kong, discovered that he and his girlfriend appeared in a porn video he was watching online.
According to the BBC, the couple was staying in a hotel in Shenzhen in 2023, unaware that their most intimate moments were being recorded on a hidden camera in their room. The footage was later uploaded to Telegram, a messaging platform often used to distribute illegal content.
Eric told the BBC that he had previously consumed so-called “spy camera porn” due to its “graphic” nature, and admitted: “What attracted me was the fact that people didn’t realize they were being filmed.” However, after becoming a victim himself, his perspective changed completely. When his girlfriend Emily found out the video was online, she was “mortified” and worried that her colleagues and family would find out about her. The couple reportedly stopped speaking for several weeks due to the trauma.
Spycam porn has existed in China for more than a decade, despite strict laws banning both pornography and the use of covert surveillance devices. In recent years, public concern has increased, especially among women, with social media users sharing tips for detecting hidden cameras. Some travelers pitch tents inside hotels to avoid being photographed.
Last April, Chinese authorities introduced new regulations requiring hotels to regularly inspect rooms for hidden cameras. However, a BBC investigation found that the problem remains widespread.
An 18-month investigation revealed thousands of recent spycam videos were filmed in hotel rooms and sold online. Much of our content is promoted through Telegram. Although Telegram is officially banned in China, it is widely accessible via virtual private networks. According to the report, at least six websites and apps are promoting live streams from more than 180 hotel rooms, allowing paying subscribers to watch guests in real time.
One such carrier, using the alias “AKA,” charged subscribers 450 yuan ($65) a month to access live feeds from multiple hotel rooms. According to the BBC, these live streams started automatically when guests inserted their room keycards. Archived footage can also be downloaded.
The report monitored one platform for seven months and found footage from 54 different cameras, about half of which were active at any given time. Based on average hotel occupancy rates, the broadcaster estimates that thousands of guests may have been videotaped during that period alone.
Viewers frequently commented on Telegram while watching the livestream, often making derogatory remarks about women or congratulating couples on having sex. When a hidden camera was discovered and disabled in a hotel room in Zhengzhou, subscribers publicly mourned its loss. “I’m so disappointed. The sound quality in that room is excellent,” AKA wrote, announcing that a replacement camera was up and running within hours.
The investigation revealed a structured supply chain involving distributors and so-called “camera owners” who arranged installation and managed streaming platforms. Despite the evidence presented, officials did not publicly respond. Some Telegram accounts were later deleted, but the live streaming website remains active.
The BBC estimates that AKA alone has earned at least 163,200 yuan ($22,000) in license fees since April last year, nearly four times the average annual income in China.
Blue Lee, from Hong Kong-based NGO Rainlily, told the BBC that requests to remove non-consensual content are increasing, but platforms like Telegram are rarely responding. “Tech companies have a huge responsibility,” she said, adding that their company’s policies directly impact how such content is spread.
Telegram said sharing pornography without consent violates its terms of service and said it actively removes harmful content. But victims like Eric and Emily continue to live in fear, avoiding hotels and worrying that the footage will be leaked online again.
