What to Do If You See Illegal or Disturbing Activity on a Live Camera

If you encounter illegal, harmful, or disturbing content on a live world cam (such as public cameras showing cities, streets, or natural areas), it's crucial to act quickly and safely. Report the incident immediately to local emergency services if it's an active emergency, then to EARF for platform follow-up. EARF's world cams provide real-time views from around the globe, but sometimes they may capture emergencies or illegal activities. Do not attempt to intervene yourself – prioritize your safety and contact professionals immediately.

Immediate Actions

  1. Stop Watching: Close the cam view to avoid further exposure to traumatic content, especially if you're affected by what you see.
  2. Do Not Engage: Do not comment, share, or interact with the content. Avoid making it go viral or exposing others unnecessarily.
  3. Contact Emergency Services: If the activity appears to be an active emergency (e.g., crime in progress, accident, violence, or imminent harm in a public space), call local emergency services right away. Note the cam location if possible to help authorities.
  4. Capture Evidence: If it's safe and you're not directly affected, capture as much evidence of the criminal offense as possible (e.g., screenshots, timestamps, descriptions) without saving disturbing content personally. Report this to authorities ASAP and EARF afterward.

Emergency contacts

If you witness an active emergency, contact local emergency services immediately. Because emergency phone numbers change and can vary by region, this article intentionally omits country-specific phone numbers except for a few universally recognised short codes. Instead, use the official links below to find current emergency contact details for the country where the cam is located.

  • Universal / commonly recognised short codes:
    • United States & Canada: 911
    • Europe / international fallback in many countries: 112
    • Australia: 000
    • New Zealand: 111

If you are unsure which number to call, use an official embassy/consulate locator or search "emergency services [country name]" on a trusted search engine. Do not rely on unverified third-party lists in an emergency.

Important: Contact authorities in the country where the incident is happening — not your local police unless you are physically in the same country. If you don't know local dialing codes, use simple search phrases that don't require an area code. Useful search templates:

  • "police [city] [country]" — e.g. "police Sydney Australia"
  • "emergency services [city] [country]" — e.g. "emergency services Munich Germany"
  • "[city] police contact" or "how to contact police in [city], [country]" — e.g. "how to contact police in Lagos, Nigeria"

If you're reporting from another country and can't reach local emergency numbers, contact the nearest embassy or consulate (see Embassy & consulate resources above). When you contact any authority, provide the cam URL or ID, the timestamp, and the exact location or visible landmarks to help them locate the incident quickly. If you're unsure which authority to contact, start with the embassy/consulate pages linked below or search online.

Reporting from Abroad

If you cannot reach local emergency services in the country where the incident occurred or is currently occuring, contact the nearest embassy or consulate for that country and explain the situation (provide cam URL/ID, timestamp, and location). Below are official government resources to help you find the correct embassy or consulate quickly.

Embassy & consulate resources

If your country isn't listed above, search for "[your country] embassy in [country/city name]" or check your country's foreign affairs website. Use the embassy/consulate locator pages above to find official mission contact details quickly. Avoid relying on unverified third-party lists for emergency contact numbers.

If your country isn't listed above, search for "[country] embassy in [country/city name]" or check your country's foreign affairs website. Avoid using long unverified international police-number lists in an emergency — embassies and local police websites are the most reliable routes if you cannot call local emergency services.

After Contacting Emergency Services

Immediately after alerting authorities, report the incident to EARF so we can review the live cam content, take necessary actions (like flagging or removing), and assist further if needed.

  1. Report to EARF: Let us know about the incident on the live cam so we can review and potentially remove or flag the content.

    • Email: [email protected] with details (cam URL, location, timestamp, description)
    • Or use our Discord support ticket system
    • Include screenshots or links if safe to do so

  2. Preserve Evidence: If possible, note the cam details and time, but don't save disturbing content yourself.

  3. Seek Support: If the content was traumatic, consider talking to a counselor. Resources like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (US: 988) or local mental health hotlines can help.

Reporting incidents that occur in other countries

If the cam shows an incident outside your country, the response path may be different. Use the steps below to make sure your report reaches someone who can act:

  1. Try local emergency services first: If the incident is an immediate life-threatening emergency and you can identify the city or area where it is happening, contact that country's emergency services using the search templates above ("police [city] [country]"). Local emergency services are usually the fastest to respond on scene.

  2. If you cannot reach local emergency services, or you are reporting from abroad, contact your country's nearest embassy or consulate in the country where the incident occurred. Embassies can help coordinate with local authorities and provide consular assistance. Use the official embassy/consulate locator links in the "Embassy & consulate resources" section above.

  3. If the incident involves a person from your country (victim or witness) or you believe cross-border coordination may be needed, you may also report the matter to your home country's police or foreign affairs department. They can advise whether they will liaise with local authorities or consular services.

  4. For online child sexual exploitation or suspected trafficking captured on a cam, use international reporting channels such as the NCMEC CyberTipline (https://report.cybertip.org/) and report to local law enforcement and the relevant embassy; follow the guidance in the "Child protection resources" section above.

  5. If you are reporting from another country, be prepared to provide the cam URL or ID, the exact timestamp(s), a description of what you saw, and any identifiable location details (street names, landmarks, signage, license plates if visible). These details are critical for authorities to locate and verify the incident quickly.

What to include when reporting

  • Cam URL or ID
  • Exact timestamp(s) (date and UTC if possible)
  • Visible location details or landmarks
  • A clear, objective description of what you observed (avoid conjecture)
  • Any visible identifiers (vehicle registration, business signage, uniforms)
  • Your contact details if you are willing to be contacted by authorities (optional)

Why This Matters

Reporting immediately to authorities and then to EARF is critical – it can save lives, prevent further harm, and ensure justice. EARF's world cams provide fascinating views of our planet, but they can sometimes capture real-world emergencies or illegal activities in public spaces. By reporting promptly, you help protect victims, assist authorities, and ensure our cams remain a positive experience for everyone. EARF takes these reports seriously and cooperates with law enforcement when appropriate.

Additional Resources

If you've been affected by what you saw on the live cam, seeking support is important. Below are mental health and suicide prevention resources for various countries. If your country isn't listed, search for "suicide prevention hotline [country name] In Google" or visit international resources like befrienders.org.

Mental Health and suicide-prevention resources

We provide links to authoritative organisations so you can confirm current phone, text, or chat contacts on their official pages. Phone numbers were intentionally omitted from this article to avoid publishing information that may change.

Child protection resources

If the incident involves minors or child exploitation, use the official organisations and reporting channels below. Click each link and follow the site's guidance for immediate reporting and phone numbers. Phone numbers were omitted from this article to avoid publishing uncertain details; always follow the reporting instructions on the official sites.

Remember: Always verify reporting phone numbers and procedures on the official pages linked above before calling. If you find child sexual exploitation material online, report immediately to the CyberTipline (NCMEC) and your local police.

Legal & accuracy notice

This article provides general guidance and links to official resources but is not legal advice. EARF is not a law enforcement agency and cannot guarantee that contacting any particular organisation will result in a specific outcome. Emergency procedures, phone numbers, and reporting processes vary by country and can change without notice.

Where possible we link to official government or non-profit pages rather than publishing phone numbers directly. If you believe an emergency is occurring, call local emergency services first; if you cannot reach them, contact the nearest embassy or consulate for assistance. When in doubt, provide factual details (cam URL, timestamps, location) and let trained responders evaluate the situation.

If you would like EARF to help verify contact information for specific countries so we can safely publish up-to-date emergency phone numbers and other emergency information tell us which countries to prioritise and information you have and we will begin a manual verification process before adding any numbers to this page.