PETALING JAYA: Beware the next time you undress in a changing room, use a public restroom or occupy a guesthouse or hotel room, as you may unknowingly become a victim of voyeurs.
Small spycams, most of which have video recording capabilities, could be placed in plain sight, such as in wall sockets, door knobs, flower pots, clocks and ceiling lights.
They are easily available online at about RM25 for larger ones and RM130 or so for smaller, more discrete versions that only measure 2cm by 2cm.
In the most recent case last month, a honeymooning couple from China found hidden cameras in the power sockets of their Airbnb room in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
The tourists’ allegations were published on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu on Sept 14 and went viral after it was picked up by numerous online sites and news portals.
Earlier this year, an X user posted about an anonymous seller who claimed to have for sale video recordings of couples and individuals in fitting rooms of a clothing store.
Women’s rights advocates and lawyers are now demanding that the authorities take stricter measures against the perpetrators responsible for placing such cameras.
All Women’s Action Society women’s rights advocate Amanda Shweeta Louis said those placing the hidden cameras can use any of the recorded visuals to spread intimate images online.
“These images and videos can be sold to voyeurs or used to blackmail the victims, harass and intimidate them or cause gender-based violence issues.
“Hidden cameras have also been used in domestic violence cases, in which the abuser uses such devices to monitor and intimidate, making it difficult for the victims to escape abusive relationships.”
She said companies that sell hidden cameras and detection devices were also profiting from women’s fear and vulnerability.
“This should not be the case. Safety is a basic right that must be acknowledged and not come at a cost. The authorities must take a more serious view of hidden cameras and voyeurs.”
Lawyer Fatihah Iliani Jamhari said there should be stricter measures against hidden cameras.
“In the case of public restrooms where women are often targeted, their discreet placement allows perpetrators to operate with ease.”
She said premises owners or tenants should be responsible for public safety and work with the authorities to curb the incidence of hidden cameras.
“Establishments have to take responsibility and comb their facilities to ensure there are no hidden cameras placed in areas where privacy is (imperative).”
Lawyer Sivaraj Retinasekharan said in a 2021 case, a defendant argued that an invasion of privacy did not take place because the victim knew about his presence when he recorded a video of her.
“But the court ruled that making video recordings through the gap of a toilet door, even with awareness and consent, invades a person’s privacy.
“The ruling reinforces the ‘right to privacy’ in public restrooms and makes it clear that recording someone without consent is a crime.”
