While filming in public is rarely a crime, Wera Hobhouse, Lib Dem MP for Bath, said the videos fall into a “legal grey area” that could break voyeurism and harassment laws.

As a result of the BBC investigation, she has now introduced a private members’ bill calling for a change to legislation. “We need to plug the loopholes that allow these men to get away scot-free,” she said.

“The government must urgently tighten voyeurism laws to make clear that sexualised, covert filming and posting footage online is a criminal offence, and force platforms to take this content down fast.

“The law must be fit for purpose to protect women and girls in the digital world.”

Hobhouse, who previously secured a change in law on upskirting, added: “Secretly filming women for profit is a sickening and cowardly act, and those responsible should be held accountable.

“Everyone should feel safe to go out with their friends without the fear they will appear in videos plastered all over the internet.”

Dozens of private members’ bills are introduced by MPs every year, but only a handful go on to become laws.

At the start of Parliament, 20 MPs are randomly selected to take priority and so their bills are most likely to see progress. Hobhouse is not one of them, meaning her bill will join the back of a long queue.

Following the BBC investigation into so-called nightlife videos, YouTube removed two accounts and said it “rigorously enforces” its community guidelines. It said it removed 1.8 million videos for violating its harassment policies at the end of 2025.

TikTok has removed four channels shared by the BBC. Meta, which runs Facebook and Instagram, said it has removed content that violated its policies.

Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said covert filming of women and girls was “vile”, adding: “Nobody’s privacy and safety should ever be up for grabs.”