Concerns over covert filming of women in nightlife settings
The government must take action over the covert “nightlife” filming of women and girls for profit on social media, which is driving them out of public spaces, leading women’s charities have warned, reports BritPanorama.
In an open letter to the Prime Minister, campaigners say women and girls are being forced to “alter their behaviour, withdraw from online spaces, and limit their presence in public life” following a “rapid rise” in viral videos, where vulnerable women are filmed in public spaces without their consent and exposed to harassment and ridicule online.
Penned by Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse and signed by organizations including Refuge, Women’s Aid, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, and the Online Safety Network, the letter warns that these videos, which have accrued more than 3 billion views, are linked to “predatory behaviours” including stalking and harassment.
It urges Andy Burnham to “strengthen” legislation, citing current police limitations in effectively addressing the issue due to gaps in the law.
“Just across from No 10 North in Manchester, but also in many towns and cities throughout the country, women are being secretly filmed on a night out, and the videos are then posted online – often for profit – where they receive a barrage of degrading and misogynistic comments,” the letter reads.
“Women and girls are being forced to alter their behaviour, withdraw from online spaces, and limit their presence in public life. The persistent risk that material may be captured and resurfaced indefinitely undermines their ability to move freely, participate equally, and feel safe in everyday environments.”
While filming in public spaces is not illegal, concern is growing over the “nightlife” content trend that often targets intoxicated women in major UK cities, with the videos uploaded for profit online.
In 2024, a Greater Manchester Police investigation led to the arrest of a 27-year-old man on suspicion of voyeurism and harassment, believed to be the first case linked to the viral videos. However, in January 2025, police stated that the criminal investigation had collapsed due to “limitations within the current legislation.” Detectives then noted they would assess pursuing civil action.
There has also been notable public backlash against Meta’s AI smart glasses, criticized as “pervert glasses” due to instances of the devices being misused to film women and vulnerable individuals without consent.
The letter follows a parliamentary roundtable hosted by Ms Hobhouse with representatives from police forces, campaigners, and academics who warned that the law has “not kept pace” with how technology is being weaponised against women.
Additionally, it calls on Mr Burnham’s government to recognize covert filming and related abuses in law, expand the Online Safety Act to include algorithms that “incentivise abuse,” and integrate covert filming into its strategy on combating violence against women and girls.
“At its core, this is about freedom,” it reads. “Women and girls are asking for the basic right to exist in public and online spaces without fear of surveillance, humiliation, or exploitation.”
“We urge the government to act with urgency and to work collaboratively with experts, victim-survivors and industry to deliver a response that matches the scale and seriousness of this issue.”
Meta has been contacted for comment.
