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POLITICO Politics1 min read
Woman covertly filmed for 'humiliating' social media content - then told to pay
TL;DR
A woman, Alice, was covertly filmed by a man in smart glasses who later demanded payment to remove the video from social media. She expressed feeling humiliated after discovering the footage was posted online without her consent.
Key points
- Alice was covertly filmed by a man in smart glasses.
- The man demanded payment to remove the video from social media.
- Alice felt humiliated after discovering the video online.
- Many women have reported similar distressing experiences.
- The man refused to be interviewed by the BBC.
Alice - not her real name - says she was covertly filmed by a man wearing smart glasses, who then requested money to remove the video from social media.
She contacted the man who posted the video, telling him it made her feel "humiliated". But when she asked for it to be taken down, was told he would only remove it as a "paid service".
Alice is one of many women who have spoken to the BBC about the distress they have endured after being recorded and posted online without their knowledge or consent.
The BBC contacted the man who filmed and posted the video of Alice. He refused to be interviewed, but in an email said he "does not seek to cause distress or harm".
Alice was walking into a London shopping centre when she was approached by a man wearing smart glasses. She says she had no idea she was being filmed.
"In the moment I just thought 'OK this guy is just trying to talk to me, to chat me up'," she said.
"I was hoping that he would leave me alone eventually but he did actually follow me."
The video was posted on social media and viewed about 40,000 times, though Alice only found out about it after a friend sent it to her.
"My initial reaction was complete shock," she said. "He had no phone, he did not have a camera directly in my face."
The videos are often posted on social media under the guise of giving dating advice to other men online.
Alice contacted the BBC following an investigation which exposed how smart glasses are being used to create harmful content by male influencers, after a woman from Brighton spoke out.
Alice contacted the account that posted the video of her, asking for it to be taken down. She told the man who posted it that it made her feel "humiliated".
In the email she received back, he said he would remove it as a "paid service".
Alice says she was shocked by this response.
"It made me feel exploited, powerless," she said.
But she added she never considered paying the money, and reported the incident to the police.
The Metropolitan Police said that an investigation was opened, but "despite initial enquiries, officers were unable to progress the investigation due to limited information".
The BBC contacted the man that filmed Alice. He refused to give an interview or reveal his identity.
Via email, he said that his "intention has always been to create light-hearted, respectful interactions".
"I do not engage in harassment or deliberately seek to make anyone uncomfortable," he added.
Asked why he did not remove the video of Alice after she contacted him, he said: "Where individuals have expressed genuine discomfort, I have reviewed content on a case-by-case basis and made adjustments where appropriate."
Q&A
What happened to Alice regarding the covert filming incident?
Alice was covertly filmed by a man in smart glasses while walking into a shopping center, and he later demanded money to remove the video from social media.
How did Alice feel about the video being posted online?
Alice felt humiliated after discovering the video was posted online without her knowledge or consent.
What did the man who filmed Alice say about his actions?
The man who filmed Alice stated in an email that he does not seek to cause distress or harm.
What are the broader implications of women being filmed without consent?
The incident highlights a growing concern about women's privacy and the distress caused by being recorded and shared online without consent.
