“We are not downloads”: Chinese women push back against Telegram photo leaks 🇨🇳📱💔

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In a country where digital freedoms are tightly controlled, a new wave of outrage is shaking Chinese social media. Thousands of men have been sharing private photos and videos of their partners or ex-partners—without consent—on Telegram. While the largest group was eventually shut down, similar spaces remain active, revealing a widespread, deeply rooted issue of digital sexual violence.

A disturbing practice with devastating impact 💥

The alarm was raised after multiple Chinese media outlets, including Southern Daily, reported disturbing cases of image-based abuse. One woman discovered intimate photos of her—taken without her knowledge—circulating in a Telegram group with over 100,000 members. The story echoes a previous scandal involving a student who was expelled from her university after an e-sports player leaked videos of her.

On platforms like Weibo and Douyin, women are speaking out en masse, calling this a form of “digital rape.” “Women are not downloadable content for your fantasies,” wrote one user. Another described the growing fear of becoming the next target in a system that offers little recourse.

Telegram under fire 🔍

Telegram responded to mounting public pressure by reiterating its zero-tolerance policy on non-consensual pornography. The platform claims it removes millions of posts daily and employs moderators to monitor public groups. But despite these efforts, spinoff communities continue to pop up—highlighting the platform’s struggle to curb viral abuse.

The largest group, known as Mask Park, has been taken down, but users quickly regrouped elsewhere. While Telegram is officially blocked in China, it’s still widely accessed through VPNs—often to bypass regulation and engage in illicit activity.

A digital culture shaped by control and fear 🧠

In a country where pornography is banned and conservative gender norms are echoed in official discourse, this scandal has exposed deeper societal tensions. Many women have already shared their experiences of online harassment—stories that reflect ongoing threats to mental health, safety, and daily life.

Some are choosing to go public, turning to platforms like Red Note, Weibo, or Douyin. Hashtags related to the case have already amassed more than 230 million views. “What abusers normalize becomes a living nightmare for their victims,” reads one of the most widely shared comments on Douyin.

A fragile feminist movement meets fierce resistance 🚫

Despite the public outcry, Chinese authorities have yet to announce specific actions against the groups or their members. Telegram remains technically blocked, but VPN use keeps it accessible. The legal framework to crack down on this behavior exists—hundreds were arrested in 2022 over illegal surveillance cases—but women’s rights remain politically sensitive and largely under-addressed.

Independent feminist activism in China has faced heavy suppression in recent years. This latest scandal highlights not only the urgency of stronger legal protections, but also the bravery of the women who continue to resist digital sexual violence—despite the personal risks.

👉🏾 Do you think Telegram is doing enough to curb these abuses? Join the discussion in the comments.