Women Secretly Filmed for TikTok Content Face Online Harassment
Two women, Dilara and Kim, have shared their distressing experiences of being secretly filmed by men using smart glasses and then having the footage posted on TikTok, leading to a wave of online harassment.
Dilara, 21, was unaware she was being filmed while on her lunch break in a London store. A man approached her, started a conversation, and later asked for her phone number, all while recording her with smart glasses. The video, which was later posted to TikTok, quickly amassed 1.3 million views. Upon realising that her phone number was visible in the video, Dilara was bombarded with calls and messages, some of which were inappropriate and threatening.
Kim, 56, faced a similar ordeal when a man approached her on a beach in West Sussex last summer. He complimented her on her bikini and, as they talked, he secretly filmed her with smart sunglasses. The footage was later uploaded to TikTok, receiving 6.9 million views. Kim, too, received numerous messages, including sexual ones, as a result of the video.
These incidents highlight the growing issue of covert filming using smart glasses, which have built-in cameras that are almost undetectable. TikTok, a platform where the videos were posted, has now removed the content. The social media company confirmed that it has policies in place to remove content that violates its guidelines, such as bullying and harassment, and does not allow personal information that could lead to stalking or identity theft.
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Legal experts, however, argue that there is currently no specific law in the UK that prevents filming someone in public without their consent. Privacy lawyer Jamie Hurworth pointed out that while filming in public spaces is not illegal, the issue arises when videos are uploaded and exploited online without consent.
Many of the men filming these videos claim to offer dating advice, and some even generate income from coaching clients on how to approach women. This has raised concerns about the exploitation of women and the role of technology companies in safeguarding privacy. Rebecca Hitchen, from the End Violence Against Women Coalition, criticised tech firms for prioritising profits over women’s safety and called for stronger safeguards.
Dilara and Kim, both deeply affected by the experience, have called for legal changes to protect people from being filmed and exploited without their consent. Kim said, “Nobody’s got the right to film other people and exploit them without their permission.”
The growing popularity of smart glasses and the rise of covert filming have led to calls for better regulation to protect individuals from unwanted attention and harassment in public spaces.
