Illegal spy cameras are still easy to find in Shenzhen’s gadget paradise

Sales of secret filming gear is rampant in China, both online and offline, report shows

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Would you think to look twice at the power sockets in your hotel room? (Picture: CCTV)

Published: 7:32pm, 23 Jul 2019Updated: 9:09am, 20 Sep 2019

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

The heyday of China's legendary electronics market in Huaqiangbei may be long gone, but at least one type of gear is still thriving there: Spy cameras.

Sales of spy cameras are rampant at Shenzhen’s gadget paradise, Huaqiangbei, according to a report by state broadcaster CCTV. The report, secretly filmed (ironically) by CCTV reporters, found vendors selling secret cameras disguised as pens, lighters and alarm clocks, among a number of other things. This is in spite of the fact that it's illegal in China to sell “espionage equipment” that can be used for secretly monitoring and photographing people.

In one case, the CCTV reporter bought a fake power socket with a camera hidden in one of the holes and double-sided tape on the back to allow for mounting on a wall. It included an SD card socket and a charging port at the bottom.

In another example from the report, one shop demonstrated a different power socket that hides the camera in a small hole in the bottom-right corner. The video can also be watched in real time from a smartphone app.

In recent months, a series of events that show just how easy it is to secretly film people in hotels has unnerved people in China. The apparent prevalence of the practice has raised concerns about people’s privacy and safety.

In May, an Airbnb guest who happens to be a security expert found a camera hidden in an extra hole in a Wi-Fi router. In June, a hidden camera in a Uniqlo fitting room was discovered in Shenzhen.