China is facing public outrage after it was revealed that large Telegram groups were distributing secretly recorded videos and photos of women without their consent. One of the biggest groups, called the MaskPark Treehole Forum, reportedly had over 100,000 members before it was taken down. Smaller groups remain active, continuing to share exploitative content.
The footage was recorded in bathrooms, fitting rooms, dormitories, subways, and even private homes using hidden cameras disguised as everyday objects like screws and power sockets. In many cases, the people recording the videos were not strangers but ex-partners, colleagues, or even relatives of the victims.
The scandal spread quickly on Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo and Xiaohongshu, where hashtags about the case gained hundreds of millions of views. Many users expressed fear and anger, demanding justice and stronger protections. Some posts criticizing the lack of legal protections were reportedly censored, which fueled further frustration.
Legal experts point out that China’s current laws treat secret filming as a minor violation if the material is not deemed obscene, meaning offenders often receive only small fines or short detentions. This has left victims with little protection, especially when the content circulates on encrypted foreign platforms like Telegram, where Chinese authorities have limited reach.
Women’s rights groups and privacy advocates are calling for urgent reforms to strengthen digital safety laws, close legal loopholes, and ensure real consequences for those who exploit women online. Many compare the scandal to South Korea’s Nth Room case, which also exposed widespread online abuse and voyeurism.