Laura Hobson, Co-Founder & COO, YoursGlobal · · 5 min read
Let’s be direct: hidden camera incidents are most densely reported in South Korea and China. In South Korea, more than 30,000 cases of illicit filming were reported between 2013 and 2018. In China, the BBC uncovered networks of hidden cameras in hotel rooms, and Guangdong province introduced regulations requiring hotels to detect and remove them.
These are documented infrastructure problems. But if you are staying in those regions, you may already know to be careful. The real security gap is everywhere else.
Travelers heading to South Korea or China may have read the advisories and prepared themselves. What about the Airbnb in Portugal, the hotel in Austin, the boutique place in Bangkok, or the guesthouse in São Paulo?
Hidden cameras do not respect borders. They are more frequently reported in certain places, which can also mean more awareness, more checking, and more enforcement. The regions where nobody talks about hidden cameras may be the regions where cameras go unchecked the longest.
YourSweep’s hidden camera detection uses flash and infrared reflection technology. A concealed lens can reflect light back to your phone’s camera, revealing itself. The mechanism is the same in Seoul, Cincinnati, Cancun, and Amsterdam. The threat is not regional. Only the reporting is.
Smart travelers check everywhere. They do not assume that a safe country means every room is secure, or that a beautiful property cannot contain a problem. They check every time, regardless of region. That is not xenophobia. It is good sense.
Laura Hobson, Co-Founder & COO, YoursGlobal