An investigation by the BBC has uncovered that thousands of illegal videos recorded in hotel rooms across China have been livestreamed and sold on various online platforms. Over an 18-month period, the BBC tracked six illegal websites and apps that were promoting their services on the messaging app Telegram, with claims of operating over 180 spy cameras installed in hotels. These cameras were used to film guests’ activities and stream the footage in real-time, raising serious privacy and safety concerns.

The report detailed how, during a seven-month monitoring period, they discovered 54 operational cameras, with approximately half of the recorded content streaming live at any given moment. When the investigative team posed as consumers and paid a monthly fee of 450 yuan, they were able to access live streams showing guests entering their rooms as soon as they used their key cards. Not only could they watch the live broadcasts, but they could also rewind and download the footage, indicating a severe breach of privacy.

Upon discovering a camera hidden inside a ventilation system in one of the hotel rooms, the investigation team removed it, only to learn that the operators quickly replaced it and informed subscribers via Telegram. Despite reaching out to Telegram about the sharing of illegal content, the platform responded that they were actively reviewing harmful content daily but did not take further action. The BBC concluded that the illegal live streams were still ongoing, highlighting a significant issue of exploitation and invasion of privacy within the hospitality industry.