Doorbell cameras and smart sunglasses are being 'turned into weapons' by abusers, Sadiq Khan has warned. The Mayor of London highlighted how new technologies that allow people to surreptitiously film their surroundings and monitor movements are increasingly wielded by perpetrators of domestic abuse and harassment.
Rise of Tech-Enabled Abuse
Research from University College London (UCL) and the domestic abuse charity Refuge reveals that doorbell cameras, smart glasses, and mobile phones have made it easier than ever for individuals to capture images without others' knowledge. This has proven a boon for harassers, stalkers, and gaslighters. Between 2018 and 2024, Refuge reported a 207% increase in referrals for tech-related abuse, including AI-generated deepfakes, revenge porn, and sextortion. Referrals rose a further 62% between 2024 and 2025, and the charity stated that most cases of domestic abuse now involve the 'weaponisation of technology'.
How Devices Are Exploited
UCL researchers found examples of doorbell devices that can livestream footage without giving any clear signal to those nearby that it is active. Another smart home hub had a blinking green LED to indicate when someone was actively watching the livestream, but left no notifications or record once the person stopped. The researchers wrote: 'Individuals with this smart home hub in their household thus have no immediate, on-device means of checking if their camera was accessed, by whom or when.'
Khan's £6 Million Fund
Today, Khan announced a £6 million fund to help tackle this horrifying issue. The Mayor of London stated: 'Tech-enabled Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a global emergency. It transcends borders and the rapid pace of technology has provided new spaces and means for men to monitor, harass and control women and girls using everyday devices. It is turning doorbell cameras, social media, sunglasses and mobile phones into weapons used by perpetrators to target, harass and abuse in the digital age. The growth of other forms of tech enabled abuse such as revenge porn, online harassment and AI deepfakes underlines the urgent need to respond.'
Khan said his fund will 'spearhead an urgent new approach', working with survivors, campaigners, academic experts, policy makers, and tech leaders.
Expert Response
Emma Pickering, head of the tech-facilitated abuse team at Refuge, told Metro: 'With services being chronically stretched to their limits, sustainable funding for specialist support is vital. The announcement of a funding boost to support survivors of tech-facilitated abuse is a much-needed step in the right direction, signifying welcome recognition of the seriousness of this horrific form of VAWG, which continues to grow in scale and complexity.' She added: 'To provide survivors with the lifesaving support they deserve, we need to see ongoing commitments to sustainable funding. This must come alongside meaningful efforts from tech companies to prevent abuse by taking a safety by design approach to the development of services and products.'
