A Hong Kong man and his girlfriend were secretly photographed in a Shenzhen hotel room.

A Hong Kong man has described his shock when he discovered that a video secretly recorded of him and his girlfriend in a Shenzhen hotel room had been uploaded to an adult website without consent. The man, who goes by the pseudonym Eric, told the media British Broadcasting Corporation The clip was filmed during a stay in southern China in 2023. A few weeks later, while browsing a voyeur website he’d visited for years, he recognized the hotel room and realized the couple in the video were him and his partner. The clip, which was edited into a one-hour video, shows the pair entering a room, unpacking and then engaging in intimate activities. The recording was made using a hidden camera in the hotel room. Neither of them knew they were being filmed.

From viewer to victim

Eric said he has been attracted to so-called “spy cam” porn since he was a teenager. He described being attracted to what he perceived as authenticity. “What attracts me is that people don’t know they are being filmed,” he told BBC World Service. “I think traditional porn feels very contrived, very fake.” He said he discovered the video of himself and his girlfriend about three weeks after checking into the hotel. At first, he just watched out of curiosity. It soon became apparent that the room, time, and sequence of events all matched their trip. When he told his partner Emily, she initially thought he was joking. She was distressed after seeing the video herself and worried colleagues, friends or family may have seen it online. The couple avoided talking to each other for weeks after the discovery, according to the BBC. They are now taking extra precautions in public and avoiding hotels when possible. Eric said the experience changed his relationship with the content he once consumed. He no longer visits the sites, except to occasionally check to see if the video reappears.

a common problem

The production and distribution of pornography is illegal in China, and voyeurism, including videotaping a person in a private place without their consent, can result in criminal charges, fines and jail time. Still, hidden camera porn has been circulating in the country for more than a decade. Such material is often shared via encrypted messaging services, including Telegram, where users can exchange links to websites hosting explicit content. According to a BBC investigation, there are thousands of “spy cam” videos online. Across six websites examined, the broadcaster discovered more than 180 active hidden cameras that were recording or live-streaming from hotel rooms across China.These secret devices can be as small as an eraser. Investigators found that some systems automatically activated when guests inserted their room key cards. Operators reportedly recruit users through social media and charge around 450 yuan (approximately £47) per month for access.

Hidden hotel cameras are small, some no bigger than a pencil eraser.

Last April, Chinese authorities introduced new rules requiring hoteliers to conduct regular inspections to detect and remove hidden cameras. The measures are part of a wider attempt to curb recurring concerns on social media, particularly among women who share advice on how to spot hidden devices. Some travelers even pitch tents in hotel rooms to protect themselves from potential surveillance. Despite these efforts, cases continue to arise. For Eric and Emily, the impact is personal and ongoing. The videos are still circulating online, and the fact that their private moments were recorded and circulated without consent has changed the way they approach travel and privacy.