Chinese Hotel Guests Secretly Filmed and Livestreamed on Porn Platforms, Investigation Finds

A couple staying in a Shenzhen hotel discovered that their most intimate moments had been secretly filmed and broadcast online to thousands of strangers. The incident, which occurred in 2023, highlights the growing spy-cam pornography industry in China, despite pornography being illegal in the country.

The victim, identified only as Eric, found footage of himself and his girlfriend on a social media channel he regularly used to view adult content. Hidden cameras in their hotel room had captured their activities without consent, turning them from consumers into victims of voyeuristic livestreaming.

Spy-Cam Porn in China
Hidden-camera pornography, or “spy-cam porn,” has existed in China for over a decade. In recent years, social media users have shared tips to detect cameras as small as a pencil eraser. Hotels are now required to check for hidden cameras, following new government regulations introduced in April 2025.

Despite these measures, BBC investigations found thousands of hotel-room spy-cam videos actively sold and streamed online. Channels on Telegram, a banned but widely used messaging app, host feeds showing multiple hotel rooms in real time. One agent, known as “AKA”, ran livestreams from over 180 cameras and maintained a library of more than 6,000 archived videos dating back to 2017.

How the Industry Works
Subscribers on Telegram watch livestreams and comment on guests’ appearances and sexual activities. Some agents, like AKA, report to “camera owners,” who organize installations and manage platforms. Payment for access can reach 450 Yuan ($65) per month, and AKA alone earned an estimated 163,200 Yuan ($22,000) in the past year.

Hidden cameras are easy to acquire in China’s electronics markets, and victims often only discover recordings long after they occur. Victims’ privacy is routinely violated, and authorities have struggled to take action. NGOs like RainLily, based in Hong Kong, help victims remove footage but face resistance from platforms hosting the content.

Impact on Victims
Eric and his girlfriend, “Emily,” were left traumatized. They now avoid hotels and wear hats in public to avoid recognition. The couple experienced weeks of shock and fear after discovering the clip online, highlighting the severe personal toll of non-consensual pornography.

Experts warn that tech companies and messaging platforms bear significant responsibility for controlling the distribution of spy-cam pornography, yet enforcement remains inconsistent.