A former glamour model has gone undercover to expose a clandestine online network where individuals, primarily British men, trade footage of women filmed without their knowledge using hidden spy cameras. The documentary "Hunting the Spycammers," fronted by presenter and online safety campaigner Jess Davies, reveals the disturbing extent of this illicit industry.
Davies, 33, investigated how spy cameras disguised as everyday objects such as pens, air fresheners, and electrical plugs are used to capture images and videos of women in private settings. These include bedrooms, bathrooms, changing rooms, and even public restrooms. The footage is then shared and liked on a voyeuristic website that acts as a hub for encrypted chat groups.
During her investigation, Davies and investigative journalist Liam Connell infiltrated these online groups by posing as new users seeking advice. They discovered perpetrators openly discussing methods for secretly filming people, including relatives, partners, flatmates, and strangers. The captured moments often involved intimate activities such as sleeping, showering, or changing clothes. One particularly concerning practice involved planting cameras along walking routes to film women urinating in bushes due to a lack of public toilets.
Davies herself has personal experience with such violations, having once been photographed naked while sleeping and having the image shared within a private WhatsApp group. She also recounted an incident at age 16 where she was cyber-flashed in an internet chatroom and, in 2017, was sexually assaulted. At 15, a photo of her in her underwear, shared with someone she trusted, was leaked and circulated within her school.
"It's a never-ending cycle of mass distribution of non-consensual content of women," Davies stated. "It feels like these women are being hunted down and preyed upon." The documentary also features Davies confronting individuals involved in creating and distributing the footage, questioning their motives and awareness of the illegality and harm caused by their actions.
Sian Harris, commissioning editor for BBC Cymru Wales, highlighted the relatable horror of being filmed in private spaces and praised the investigation for shedding light on the trade of non-consensual videos and the underlying reasons for this criminal activity.
Davies, who began a glamour modelling career at 18 and appeared in publications such as FHM and Zoo, has become a vocal advocate for women's rights and online safety. She published a book in 2025 titled "No One Wants to See Your D*ck," which addresses tackling online misogyny.
"Hunting the Spycammers" is scheduled to be available on BBC iPlayer on Wednesday, July 15.