Federal States Urge Legal Penalties for Sauna VoyeurismMon 26th Jan, 2026Efforts are underway in Germany to introduce stricter penalties for individuals who secretly record others in public spaces such as saunas or beaches. The proposed reforms aim to address situations where individuals are filmed or photographed in vulnerable settings such as public saunas, beaches, or changing areas. At present, German law imposes penalties of up to two years' imprisonment for recording individuals in highly private settings such as homes or restrooms without consent. However, these provisions do not always extend to incidents occurring in public environments, leaving many victims without adequate legal protection. The widespread availability of smartphones has made it easier to commit such acts, intensifying calls for legislative action to safeguard personal dignity and privacy in public spaces.

Source: The Munich Eye January 26, 2026 23:33 UTC