Livestreamer detained for using drones to tail women

A livestreamer in Chongyang county, Hubei province, has been placed under a 10-day administrative detention and had his account suspended after using drones to invade the privacy of women on their way home, as reported by China Central Television on Sep.6.

The incident came to light on Monday when a livestreamer in Chongyang was exposed for controlling drones to film women and make inappropriate judgments about them during his livestreams, which garnered a large following.

The related video quickly gained widespread attention and sparked outrage among netizens. The behavior not only disrespected the women involved but also posed a security threat as their home addresses were inadvertently revealed. Many expressed disbelief and fear, calling for severe punishment to deter such actions in the future.

On the same day, the cyber security brigade of Xianning city, which has jurisdiction over Chongyang county, launched an investigation into the matter. The livestreamer, surnamed Wang, was subsequently apprehended and handed a 10-day administrative detention, effective from Monday, for disturbing social order through provocative actions.

On Tuesday, a video was posted on the official Douyin account of the Xianning police, featuring the livestreamer, Wang, who publicly apologized for his behavior. He acknowledged that his actions, which included tailing women and spreading rumors about them, had an extremely negative impact on society. He expressed hope that his actions would serve as a reminder to others.

As of now, Wang's account on the short video-sharing platform Douyin has been banned. In response to the incident, the platform stated that they have dedicated personnel monitoring livestreams to ensure compliance with the law. Users are encouraged to report any illegal activities so that the platform can promptly address them.

Wang's actions have raised concerns about the illegal use of drones, which pose security threats to individuals and intrude upon their privacy.

A legal expert interviewed by CCTV stated that using drones to follow women home and capture images of them constitutes an illegal invasion of their privacy. Those engaging in such behavior may face administrative penalties and civil liability.

This incident highlights the need for vigilance in monitoring and addressing invasive drone activities to protect individuals' privacy and security.