An in-depth BBC investigation has uncovered a disturbing practice in some of the world's nightlife capitals: men secretly filming women in public and then monetizing the footage by posting it on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
The videos are presented as "walking tours" or "nightlife content," but in fact they focus almost exclusively on women in dresses or skirts, often filmed from very low angles or from behind, exposing intimate body parts without consent.
The BBC identified over 65 online channels of this type, with a total of more than 3 billion views in the last three years. The footage was filmed mainly in cities such as London, Oslo, Miami, Bangkok, but one of the main centers turns out to be Manchester.
The case of Albanian Florjan Reka
At the heart of the investigation is the name of Florjan Reka, 35 years old, of Albanian origin and based in Sweden.
According to the BBC:
• Reka runs one of the largest channels of its kind on YouTube, with around 200 million views and 399 thousand subscribers.
• He also has a Facebook page with over 600 thousand followers.
• His channel is registered as a business in Sweden, with official activities “influencer, marketing and advertising”.
• During an undercover operation in Manchester for Halloween, BBC journalists filmed Reka together with his brother, Roland Reka, recording women from low angles, while holding the camera at waist height and pretending to look at their phone.
After being contacted by the BBC, YouTube closed two accounts linked to Florjan Reka, but several similar videos remain active on other platforms. Reka declined to comment for the newspaper and avoided meeting with the investigative team even when they traveled to Sweden.
Victims and consequences
One of the women filmed, identified by the changed name "Grace", revealed exclusively to the BBC that her footage - filmed from under her dress - had received over 3 million views.
"Since then I feel paranoid every time I leave the house," she said.
In many of the videos, the BBC documented hundreds of misogynistic and degrading comments towards women.
Law and reactions
In the UK, filming in public spaces is not always illegal, but lawyers say the practice falls into a "grey area" between harassment and voyeurism.
Greater Manchester Police arrested a man in 2024 for similar cases, but the case was closed due to legal loopholes.
After the investigation was published:
• YouTube deactivated two channels,
• TikTok removed four accounts,
• while on Facebook and Instagram some profiles continue to be active.
Digital economy experts estimate that this "secret filming industry" could generate millions of pounds in profits.
For the women filmed, however, the damage is much deeper than money: fear, shame, insecurity, and a loss of a sense of privacy in public space.
