Encountering a screamer while surfing on the web would never be a pleasant experience, but the Korean Police cleverly utilized it to warn the voyeurs seeking for illegally recorded videos.
For the past two weeks, Busan Metropolitan Police Agency has distributed fake “hidden cam” videos through 23 file-sharing sites. Total of 26,000 users downloaded the video and it resulted in an 11% decrease of hidden cam video distribution.
The project, named “Stop Downloadkill,” was launched in an attempt to root out the distribution of illegally taken pictures and videos. The video is designed to grow awareness of the seriousness of such crime, which leaves irreparable trauma to the ones in the video.
The warning video opens similarly to other hidden cam videos, recording a woman in a changing room. But later, the woman turns out to be a ghost and warning messages follow: “It could be you who is leading her to a suicide. The Police are watching on this website.”
Warning: The following video may contain sensitive material.
The Police made several versions of such video and distributed through 23 websites where illegal hidden cam videos were being distributed.
Contrary to previous attempts to reduce digital sex crimes, which targeted distributors only, “Stop Downloadkill” project warns the downloaders of the seriousness of the crime by giving a sense of guilt.
The number of illegal “hidden cam” crimes, which include distributions of revenge porn or videos capturing images of the private area, recorded 5,185. This is a 542% increase since 2009’s 807.
Original article by Ha Jeong-min
