I created this petition after seeing a series of street-interview videos where people who were clearly vulnerable were filmed without compassion. One clip that broke me showed a man struggling with addiction who suddenly opened up about having to bury his two-year-old son. Instead of putting the camera down, the creator kept filming and uploaded his grief for entertainment.

I’ve seen channels such as DJE Media and Charlie Veitch publish street-style videos where intoxicated, homeless, or clearly distressed people are approached and pressured on camera. In my view, some of the video titles and edits feel designed to provoke a reaction and chase views — turning people’s worst moments into click-bait. That’s not raising awareness; it often looks like bullying and exploitation of people who can’t give genuine consent.

Even when some of these individuals clearly say they don’t want to be filmed, they’re often mocked, ignored, or told “it’s a public place” as if that excuses it. It doesn’t. Vulnerable people deserve the right to say no and be taken seriously. Hiding behind the phrase “public place” shouldn’t protect those who profit from filming distress — it should be recognised as harassment and made illegal.

Watching those scenes made me cry. I saw real human pain being treated as spectacle. No one deserves to have their lowest moments recorded and shared for views or profit. These videos don’t educate or support anyone; they humiliate and dehumanise people who are already suffering.

I’m speaking up because I believe we need clear rules and accountability: filming someone who’s vulnerable or distressed should not be acceptable content. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok must do more to remove exploitative videos, enforce stronger creator penalties, and protect people’s dignity.

Please stand with me and demand stronger action against the exploitation of vulnerable people online. Every person deserves empathy, not exposure.