A report has exposed a vast underground network in China that secretly films hotel guests with hidden cameras and sells the recordings as pornography, victimising thousands and breaching privacy on a large scale.
The issue came to light when a Hong Kong man identified only as “Eric” discovered a porn clip online that showed him and his girlfriend. The couple had stayed at a Shenzhen hotel in 2023 and were unaware a covert camera in their room had recorded them. The footage later appeared on Telegram, a messaging app commonly used to share illicit material.
Eric told the BBC he had previously watched “spy‑cam porn” because of its perceived “raw” quality, attracted by the fact that people in the videos did not know they were being filmed. After becoming a victim himself, his view changed. His girlfriend, identified as Emily, was “mortified,” fearing colleagues or family might recognise her. The couple reportedly stopped speaking for weeks because of the trauma.
Spy‑cam pornography has circulated in China for more than a decade, despite strict bans on both pornography and covert surveillance devices. In recent years concern has grown, particularly among women, with social media users sharing detection tips and some travellers even pitching tents inside hotel rooms to avoid being filmed.
Authorities tightened rules in April last year, requiring hotels to conduct regular room checks for hidden cameras. But the BBC’s investigation found the problem persists. Over an 18‑month probe, investigators tracked thousands of recent spy‑cam videos filmed in hotel rooms and sold online, with much content promoted on Telegram. Although Telegram is officially banned in China, it remains accessible through virtual private networks. At least six websites and apps were found advertising livestreams from more than 180 hotel rooms, offering paying subscribers real‑time viewing.
One operator, using the alias “AKA,” charged about 450 yuan ($65) per month for access to multiple live hotel feeds. According to the report, these livestreams could activate automatically when guests inserted key cards, and archived footage was available for download.
Monitoring one platform for seven months revealed feeds from 54 different cameras, about half active at any time. Applying typical hotel occupancy rates, the BBC estimates thousands of guests may have been filmed covertly during that period.
Viewers often commented on Telegram while watching, making degrading remarks about women and celebrating sexual encounters. When a camera was discovered and disabled in a Zhengzhou hotel room, subscribers openly lamented its loss; AKA reportedly complained about lost audio quality before announcing a replacement camera went live within hours.
The investigation uncovered an organised supply chain involving sales agents and “camera owners” who arrange installations and run streaming platforms. Those implicated did not respond to requests for comment. Some Telegram accounts were later removed, but the livestreaming websites remain active. The BBC estimates AKA alone earned at least 163,200 yuan ($22,000) in subscription fees since April last year — nearly four times China’s average annual income.
Blue Li from Hong Kong NGO RainLily told the BBC that requests to take down non‑consensual content are increasing, but platforms like Telegram seldom respond. “Tech companies share huge responsibility,” she said, noting platform policies shape how such content spreads.
Telegram said sharing non‑consensual pornography breaches its terms of service and that it proactively removes harmful content. Still, victims like Eric and Emily live in fear, avoiding hotels and worrying the footage could reappear online.
