YouTube Flooded With Videos of Women in Copenhagen at Baths

Explicit, voyeuristic videos of unsuspecting swimsuit-clad women in Copenhagen at popular harbor baths are being widely shared on YouTube, raising legal, ethical, and privacy concerns. These videos are shared on YouTube profiles with a massive reach and generates millions of views.

Women in Copenhagen Filmed Without Consent at Bathing Spots

Copenhagen’s harbor baths have become the backdrop for a disturbing new trend. Multiple anonymous video creators are recording scantily clad, unsuspecting women in Copenhagen, particularly focusing on their bodies, and uploading these videos to YouTube. Many of these women are topless or in vulnerable positions, often unaware they are being filmed. The videos exploit intimate moments and then present them with provocative thumbnails designed to lure viewers.

Digital investigators and legal experts warn that this type of content potentially breaches Danish privacy laws, notably Section 264d of the criminal code, which prohibits the unauthorized distribution of images showing individuals in private or vulnerable moments. Despite the videos being filmed in public spaces, legal boundaries may be crossed the moment they are published online and viewed by thousands, or even millions.

Massive Reach and Profits Through Exploitative Content

These videos aren’t obscure – they are reaching massive audiences. One YouTube profile, for example, has over 370,000 subscribers and boasts a staggering 193 million total views. Another similar channel has more than 57,000 subscribers and 17.5 million views. This popularity not only amplifies the exploitative content but likely translates into substantial advertising revenue for the creators, further incentivizing this type of behavior.

The content is often tagged and presented as travel-related footage from Copenhagen. However, video analysis reveals a clear emphasis on zooming in on female bodies, especially breasts and buttocks. Video creators follow women as they walk, bend over, or apply sunscreen. Many of the creators prioritize intimate close-ups, often featuring topless women, despite YouTube’s stated guidelines against sexually gratifying or non-consensual content.

Algorithmic Amplification Aids Distribution of Women in Copenhagen

One troubling aspect is how YouTube’s algorithm perpetuates the spread. Users who view one video are routinely recommended similar ones, increasing the likelihood that viewers remain within this exploitative content loop. This algorithmic suggestion engine played a major role in how digital investigator Christian Skettrup first encountered the videos. Since then, he has been tracking various accounts, uncovering a wide network of similar content producers.

YouTube’s Response and Content Policy

In a written response, YouTube emphasized its community guidelines forbid nudity, sexually gratifying content, or sexually suggestive materials shared without consent. The platform claims it uses a combination of machine learning algorithms and human reviewers to flag and remove violations.

However, critics argue that YouTube hasn’t done enough. Despite repeated community reports, these videos remain online. YouTube’s framework allows video creators to profit until content is flagged and reviewed, a process that can take days or weeks, during which the videos accumulate views and ad revenue.

Legal and Ethical Questions Remain

Legal experts point out that while filming in public spaces is generally legal, sharing such footage, especially when it puts individuals in exposing or compromising situations, is not. Danish law states that individuals have a right to privacy, even in public, if the context shows vulnerability. Sharing moments like sunbathing, changing clothes, or applying sunscreen, without consent, can constitute illegal voyeurism.

This concern is echoed by digital rights organizations and social ethics experts, who see this behavior as part of a broader trend in non-consensual digital content. The videos often serve as “creepshot” material, covert images targeting women, commonly traded or sold on darker corners of the internet.

Calls for Platform Accountability

Experts argue platforms like YouTube must take additional responsibility. Content recommendation algorithms and monetization options are significant drivers of this type of exploitative content. Without enforcement of stricter content moderation tools and quicker removal response times, similar videos will likely continue to appear.

The issue is also creating anxiety among Copenhagen locals. Some individuals, including Skettrup himself, have recognized themselves in such videos. This involuntary digital exposure heightens public discomfort, reinforcing concerns about personal agency and privacy in the digital age.

While YouTube points to policy mechanisms and community guidelines, concrete actions against the exploitative channels in question remain limited. Without enforcement, the line between travel vlog and digital violation continues to blur.

Maria van der Vliet

Writer

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