New tech that allows people to surreptitiously film their surroundings and monitor movements are being wielded as ‘weapons’ by abusers, Sadiq Khan has warned.
Doorbell cameras, smart glasses and mobile phones have made it easier than ever for people to capture images without anyone else knowing.
Research from University College London (UCL) and domestic abuse charity Refuge shows these new capabilities have been 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 said most cases of domestic abuse now involve the ‘weaponisation of technology’.
UCL researchers found examples of doorbell devices that could livestream footage without giving any clear signal to those around it that it is active.
Another smart home hub had a blinking green LED to show when someone was actively watching the livestream images, 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.’
Today, Khan has announced a £6 million fund to help tackle the horrifying issue.
The Mayor of London said: ‘Tech-enabled Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a global emergency.
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‘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.
Emma Pickering, the 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.’
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