Berliner Abendpost - Metro Investigation Reveals Global 'Spiderweb' of Creep-Shot Networks

Metro’s investigation into the illegal trade of voyeuristic content has revealed a vast, organized international network connecting UK-based filmmakers with sellers across Europe and the United States. The probe identified prolific creators operating in London public spaces and traced their output through a complex web of websites and encrypted messaging channels.

The findings follow an earlier Metro report that exposed specific invasive footage as part of Avast International’s study on the "violation economy." While that initial investigation highlighted individual sites, this latest work demonstrates that those platforms are merely components of a larger, interconnected ecosystem designed to target women and girls globally.

Using open-source intelligence techniques provided by OSINT Industries, reporters traced usernames and connections between creators, sellers, and hosting sites. The analysis identified two prolific content creators who have filmed victims in locations including Westfield Stratford, Westfield Shepherd’s Bush, and Harold Hill. These individuals are linked to a specific website revealed in the previous report and frequently collaborate, filming the same subjects from different angles.

Both men have been arrested and are currently awaiting trial; consequently, they cannot be named. Although the primary site associated with them is no longer publicly accessible, a significant volume of their material remains available through third-party platforms.

The investigation uncovered a network of creators, websites, and Telegram channels centered in and around London, which linked to other sellers based in Europe and the US. Analysis of timestamps and locations within the clips indicates that some women were followed for up to 30 minutes. One reel, sold for $40, depicts a lone woman being followed through London until she walks down a quiet suburban street. Another video follows three friends between Elizabeth Line stations and onto a bus.

On one identified site, 1,975 posts signposted clips from one of the London-based creators, amassing nearly one million reads. These videos were offered for $10, with payments requested in bitcoin via an active Telegram channel. On another website, videos created by the second suspect were still being sold for $30 as recently as February last year.

The market operates through an underground ecosystem where videos are packaged, edited, and circulated. Some sites feature customer service email accounts and membership clubs. The common pattern involves criminals focusing on busy locations such as shopping centers and public transport, where they can approach victims closely and disappear into crowds. Other favored locations include carnivals, fairs, concerts, and conventions. Several examined videos appear to have been filmed at a cosplay event or the Notting Hill Carnival.

The scale of the issue was highlighted internationally following an investigation at Munich’s Oktoberfest, which uncovered more than 32,000 voyeuristic videos linked to an amusement ride. Many clips showed women’s underwear as their dresses were lifted by the spinning Teufelsrad, or Devil’s Wheel.

Detective Superintendent Dan Thompson, the Metropolitan Police’s lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, acknowledged the concern caused by the existence of such websites. "All women should feel safe while travelling across London," Thompson said. "Nobody should have to live with the fear of being subjected to this intimidating behaviour."

Thompson stated that police are working to prevent offenses through increased proactive operations using plain-clothes officers to identify predatory behavior in public spaces. He noted that charges and outcomes for violence against women and girls offenses have risen by 20 percent over the last six months.

Beyond the sexual invasion, the videos can reveal victims’ faces, friends, shopping habits, and daily journeys. Once content enters this marketplace, it can be copied, repackaged, and resold indefinitely. Most disturbingly, many of the women and girls caught on camera will never know the footage exists.

The investigation has also reached the creep-shotting community itself. One discussion forum dedicated to the practice featured Metro’s original report, with one account noting that members in the UK need to "wait for this to die down." The market exposed by the investigation is now being examined by British police forces.

X.Konrad--BlnAP