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As Investigation Reveals Extent of ‘Upskirting’, What Can Be Done to Protect Women and Girls?
Technology is making it easier than ever to share images taken of women without their consent, the research finds.
A new investigation has revealed the shocking extent to which women are having photographs taken up their skirts without their consent and then shared worldwide via social media portals.
The research was carried out by BBC News journalists Angus Crawford and Tony Smith and focused mainly on Facebook, owned by what is now called Meta. It found a staggering number of groups set up by users purely to share images taken through ‘upskirting’, with members commenting on photographs and encouraging each other to publish more.
One comment published in the report detailed how a user had pursued a schoolgirl before taking a photo underneath her school uniform, adding: “I was on a mission with this one and I finally got her.”
Other members were found to be asking for advice on how to take pictures with their smartphones without getting caught.
Meta has now removed this group and the police were informed in the relevant cases, but the action did not take place immediately. Indeed, it was only when the…
