Recently, Taiwan’s Mirror Weekly received reports that a wave of “wild nudity” videos has surfaced on social media platform X. The videos feature young men publicly performing full nudity and masturbation, often at well-known tourist spots, public transport systems, and even children’s playgrounds. Bystanders occasionally appear in the background, and each clip reportedly racks up tens of thousands of views almost immediately. Some users even openly share tips and success stories on performing these public stunts, which has drawn both public outrage and police attention. Authorities are actively investigating.
Longtime X user, Ms. A, told Mirror Weekly that over the past two months, videos of men performing public masturbation have gone viral under the tag “野裸族” (literally “wild nudists”). The term sounds similar to the English word “yellow,” prompting netizens to nickname the participants “online yellows.”
Police have confirmed that these acts of public nudity and lewd exposure, especially when recorded and shared online, are illegal, and authorities are increasing monitoring and enforcement.
In one recent clip shown to Mirror Weekly, a young man, completely nude except for white socks, is seen kneeling and masturbating. The post included hashtags marking the location as a metro station exit. The one-minute video shows bodily fluids left on the floor, highlighting the brazen behavior. Ms. A identified the location as Nanjing Fuxing Station and reported it to the metro authorities, who claimed the site was outside their jurisdiction, frustrating her further.
Another individual, Mr. B, reported that a user recently posted a video of public nudity in the underpass of Hsinchu Train Station, approaching homeless people while completely naked. The user captioned the clip with a comment about not disturbing nearby resting individuals, behavior widely condemned as lewd.
Investigations reveal that “wild nudists” have filmed in virtually all types of public spaces, including buses, metro trains, Taiwan Railways, high-speed rail, scenic spots like Yangmingshan and Bagua Mountain, museums, children’s playgrounds, supermarkets, and convenience stores.
Mr. B added that participants increasingly seek attention and clicks, showing little fear of consequences. Some have even brought this trend onto university campuses and into libraries, coordinating meetups and sharing tips on avoiding surveillance cameras while encouraging each other to perform in public.
Psychiatrist Dr. Yang Congcai explained that the thrill of public nudity, combined with online attention, provides participants with intense excitement and a sense of validation.
Police reiterated that public nudity and lewd acts intended for others to observe violate Taiwan’s Criminal Code. Those caught in public may face up to one year in prison for indecent exposure, while distributing obscene content online may result in up to two years’ imprisonment. Authorities reminded the public that surveillance cameras are widespread and urged citizens not to engage in these illegal acts for temporary attention or thrill.
