Oktoberfest Ride Operator Distributes Free Shorts to Combat Viral Upskirting

Key points

• Elisabeth Polaczy, the 80-year-old operator of the Teufelsrad amusement ride, has been handing out free cycling shorts to women in dresses for three years to prevent voyeuristic filming.
• This year, Polaczy distributed over 100 pairs of shorts, stating she wants to ensure visitors feel secure despite the difficulty of monitoring smartphone use in crowds.
• The Teufelsrad, a rotating platform that causes skirts to fly up, has been the subject of at least 32,000 videos circulating online, some of which have been viewed millions of times.
• Filming under skirts is illegal in Germany and carries a two-year prison sentence, but critics note the law does not cover situations where skirts simply fly up without active filming.
• Bavarian police have launched a poster campaign against upskirting and arrested a 45-year-old Swiss man this year, following 10 arrests in 2025 and seven in 2024.
• Municipal authorities in Munich have banned live streaming from the festival and require permits for filming, issuing hundreds of licenses to influencers this year.

Background

This incident highlights ongoing concerns about digital violence and privacy violations at major public events. While previous coverage has addressed various forms of upskirting in shopping centers and schools, the scale of the issue at Oktoberfest is unique due to the combination of traditional attire, physical movement, and high-density crowds. The legal gap identified by advocates suggests that current legislation may not adequately address all forms of non-consensual intimate imagery, particularly when clothing is displaced by motion rather than direct intrusion.

Why it matters

The proliferation of upskirting videos at Oktoberfest underscores the tension between public safety, legal enforcement, and the economic incentives of social media content creation. The proactive measures by ride operators and police indicate a shift toward preventative strategies, but the continued circulation of thousands of videos suggests that legal and physical deterrents alone are insufficient to protect victims. This case also raises broader questions about the liability of platforms hosting such content and the need for updated legislation to address new technologies like camera glasses.

What to watch

As the Oktoberfest concludes this weekend, attention will turn to the effectiveness of the police poster campaign and the impact of the permit system for influencers. Advocates are pushing for new laws that would penalize not only the act of filming but also the uploading of intimate images, holding platforms accountable for hosting such content. Future festivals may adopt similar preventative measures, such as mandatory undergarments or stricter monitoring of social media activity, to protect attendees.