Munich Oktoberfest offers free shorts to combat upskirting incidents

Munich Oktoberfest organisers have begun distributing complimentary shorts to female visitors as part of efforts to curb upskirting—non-consensual recording and distribution of intimate footage. The protective measure addresses a documented problem at the festival, where the Teufelsrad spinning ride has become a particular hotspot for such incidents.

According to Munich's Süddeutsche Zeitung daily, at least 32,000 videos featuring women on the ride have circulated online, with some accumulating millions of views. The footage frequently shows women wearing traditional dirndl dresses with their underwear visible, raising serious privacy and safety concerns among attendees.

The situation has been further complicated by digital manipulation, with some images edited to make women appear fully naked. These altered versions have also been widely shared across online platforms.

Festival organisers have responded by offering free shorts to female visitors as a simple yet direct solution to protect attendees from voyeuristic recording. The measure represents an attempt to ensure that women can enjoy the traditional celebration without fear of privacy violations or having their images exploited without consent.

The Oktoberfest, held annually in Munich, attracts millions of visitors globally. The introduction of this protective measure highlights growing awareness of privacy violations at large public gatherings and the challenges posed by widespread digital sharing of non-consensual content.