Overview
- On March 6, Germany’s chamber of states passed a resolution calling on the federal government to promptly submit a bill targeting covert sexualized photos and videos.
- The Länder point to legal gaps that leave acts like filming clothed buttocks in public or taking nude images in publicly accessible saunas unpunished.
- Officials warn that smartphone capabilities such as silent recording and powerful zoom make surreptitious filming easier and reduce inhibitions.
- The initiative seeks stronger protection for women and girls while reinforcing sexual self-determination and the right to one’s own image.
- Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig previously committed to drafting legislation, but no law is in place yet, with a government proposal and parliamentary deliberation expected next.