Authorities in Ghana and Kenya are facing mounting pressure to investigate a Russian social media content creator following allegations that he secretly recorded intimate encounters with local women and monetized the footage through subscription services, in what legal experts describe as clear violations of cybersecurity and privacy laws in both countries.
Russian guy aliteka wamathe wawili wakitoka soko man 🙆🏿♂️🙆🏿♂️🙆🏿♂️my head dey pain me…who’s moms are these?pic.twitter.com/kNT8lsm2Av
— Onyi Claude (@onyangoclaude) February 13, 2026
The individual, who operates under the handle Yaytseslav across multiple platforms including TikTok, YouTube, and Telegram, has sparked widespread outrage after videos surfaced showing him approaching women in public locations before allegedly recording private encounters without their knowledge or consent.
Sophisticated Technology Used for Covert Recording
According to technology analysts examining the footage, the content creator appears to have employed advanced surveillance equipment to capture the videos discreetly. Investigators believe Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses—wearable devices equipped with a 12-megapixel camera capable of 1080p video recording and a five-microphone array—were likely used to film without detection.
The glasses, which retail for approximately $400 (GH₵4,000), represent a growing concern for privacy advocates who warn that such technology makes non-consensual recording increasingly difficult to detect or prevent.
The alleged pattern involved approaching women at shopping centers including Accra Mall in Ghana and various retail locations in Kenya, initiating conversations, obtaining contact information, and subsequently inviting them to short-stay accommodations where the encounters were recorded.
Monetization Model Raises Additional Concerns
Analysis of the content creator’s online presence reveals what appears to be a deliberate business strategy built around the alleged exploitation. While shorter video clips were distributed on free platforms like TikTok and YouTube—apparently to generate audience interest—full versions were reportedly available only through a paid Telegram channel requiring subscriptions of approximately $5 monthly or 400 Russian Rubles.
This monetization structure has intensified legal concerns, as it suggests premeditated commercial exploitation of individuals who allegedly had no knowledge they were being recorded or that footage would be distributed publicly.
“The commercial aspect transforms this from a privacy violation into systematic exploitation for profit,” noted Kwame Asamoah, a digital rights attorney in Accra. “This isn’t impulsive behavior—it’s a calculated business model built on violating consent.”
Legal Framework Provides Clear Prohibitions
Legal experts in Ghana have identified specific statutory violations under Section 67 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), which explicitly prohibits the intentional distribution of intimate images or visual recordings of identifiable persons without their consent.
Kenya’s Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act of 2018 contains parallel provisions criminalizing non-consensual intimate recordings and their distribution, with penalties including substantial fines and imprisonment.
Veteran Kenyan journalist Ferdinand Omondi emphasized the fundamental legal principles at stake: “Adults make personal choices every day, but no such personal decision cancels the right to privacy, and grants one permission to secretly record and expose someone. Consent to sex is not consent to filming. Consent to filming is not consent to publication.”
Public Discourse Reveals Deeper Social Tensions
The incident has triggered intense online debate that extends beyond the immediate legal violations, exposing underlying tensions around gender, economic vulnerability, and societal attitudes toward women’s autonomy.
While human rights advocates and legal professionals have focused on the privacy breaches and legal violations, significant portions of online discussion have centered on criticizing the women involved rather than the alleged perpetrator.
Social media user @IcanKudivo articulated the perspective of those emphasizing consent violations: “Ghanaian women have sex with a man consensually. Man records them without their knowledge or consent. Man posts said content. The conversation here should be about the serious breach of trust, consent and apparent illegality. This is very sad.”
However, competing narratives have emerged with some commentary questioning the women’s judgment or attributing the situation to economic desperation, prompting sharp rebukes from gender rights advocates.
User @Aku__Addy responded forcefully to victim-blaming narratives: “A foreigner took advantage of and recorded intimate conversations and acts with unassuming women and has released these sensitive images and footages and Ghanaian men are on this app framing it as he’s exposing how cheap women are. The journey is long wallahi.”
Content Removal Following Pressure
Following widespread condemnation, the content creator has reportedly removed the controversial material from public platforms. By February 13, videos featuring Ghanaian women had been deleted from his TikTok account, and Ghanaian blogger Julie Jay Kanz reported that all Ghana-related content had been removed from his private Telegram channel following pressure from cybersecurity activists.
However, reports indicate the individual had already departed Ghana before the removals occurred, potentially complicating enforcement efforts and raising questions about cross-border accountability mechanisms.
Calls for Systematic Response
Digital rights organizations in both countries are demanding comprehensive responses that address not only this specific incident but the broader vulnerabilities it exposes.
Recommended actions include:
Immediate Investigative Steps:
- Formal criminal investigations in both Ghana and Kenya
- Cooperation with international law enforcement given cross-border elements
- Identification and support for affected individuals
- Platform accountability measures requiring content removal and account suspension
Systemic Improvements:
- Enhanced public awareness campaigns about digital safety and consent
- Stronger enforcement mechanisms for existing privacy laws
- International cooperation frameworks for digital crimes
- Technology regulations addressing covert recording devices
Victim Support:
- Confidential reporting mechanisms for digital exploitation
- Legal assistance for affected individuals
- Mental health and counseling services
- Protection from secondary victimization through online harassment
Platform Accountability Questions
The incident has renewed scrutiny of content moderation practices on major social media platforms, particularly regarding their responsiveness to privacy violations and exploitative content originating from African countries.
Critics argue that platforms maintain insufficient moderation resources for African markets despite generating significant revenue from users in these regions, creating enforcement gaps that enable exploitation.
Neither TikTok nor Telegram had issued public statements regarding the incident or the removal of content at the time of publication.
Broader Implications for Digital Safety
Privacy advocates warn that the incident represents an emerging pattern where technological advancement outpaces legal protections and public awareness, creating new vulnerabilities for exploitation.
“Wearable recording technology, encrypted messaging platforms, and international payment systems have created an infrastructure that makes this type of exploitation easier to commit and harder to prosecute,” explained Dr. Josephine Muthoni, a digital policy researcher in Nairobi. “We need coordinated responses that span technology regulation, law enforcement, and public education.”
The case has sparked renewed calls for regional cooperation on digital crimes, with suggestions that East African Community and ECOWAS frameworks could facilitate more effective cross-border enforcement.
Moving Forward
As investigations potentially move forward, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the intersection between technological capability, legal frameworks, economic vulnerability, and societal attitudes toward consent and privacy.
Legal experts emphasize that regardless of the circumstances under which individuals meet or interact, the fundamental right to privacy and the requirement for informed consent remain non-negotiable legal and ethical standards.
“Technology continues to evolve, but the principles of human dignity, consent, and privacy are timeless,” stated Asamoah. “Our legal systems and social norms must reflect these unchanging values even as the tools of violation become more sophisticated.”
Individuals who have experienced digital exploitation or non-consensual content distribution can seek support through local digital rights organizations, legal aid services, and law enforcement agencies in Ghana and Kenya. Reports can often be filed confidentially.
