appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Zoey Zhang

A man in Taiwan who used a robot vacuum cleaner to gather evidence of his wife’s affair won a civil lawsuit but was subsequently sentenced to prison for invading her privacy.
A recently released court ruling, reported by local media, disclosed that the man, whose identity remains confidential, got married in 2021. The couple lived with his parents and only visited their holiday home during holidays.
In September 2023, the man discovered a used toothbrush at the holiday home, heightening his suspicions.
After reviewing surveillance footage from a parking garage, he identified an unknown man who had previously driven his wife home.
Three months later, he remotely activated the home’s robot vacuum cleaner via its mobile application, planning to use its built-in audio feature to communicate with his wife.
However, the live feed captured his wife in an intimate encounter with another man. Seeking evidence for a legal claim, he began recording the footage.

The video showed his wife changing clothes, embracing her alleged lover, and moving around the house unclothed, while her partner was seen lying on the sofa.
Shortly thereafter, the husband used the footage as evidence to sue his wife and her lover for infringing on his marital rights, seeking NT$2 million (US$68,000) in damages.
The court determined that their relationship had surpassed the limits of ordinary friendship and ordered the pair to pay the husband NT$500,000 in compensation.
However, this civil victory did not protect the husband from legal repercussions regarding how the evidence was obtained.
The wife subsequently counter-sued, accusing him of recording private footage without her consent. The man contended that the video had already been accepted by the civil court and that his actions were “legally justified.”
Nonetheless, the court rejected his defence, ruling that marital obligations do not supersede an individual’s right to privacy. It determined that the recording was deliberate.
Furthermore, any lights or voice alerts from the robot vacuum were deemed insufficient to establish that the wife was aware she was being recorded or had consented to the capture of the footage.

The man was ultimately sentenced to five months in prison and fined NT$150,000 for unlawfully recording private images.
Under Taiwanese law, secretly recording or disclosing another person’s private activities or intimate information without authorisation can result in a sentence of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to NT$300,000.
The case has garnered widespread attention on social media.
One online commenter noted: “The husband is a victim in some respects. He lost his marriage and also his freedom.”
Another remarked: “While proving infidelity can be challenging, there are legal avenues available, including chat histories, hotel receipts, and financial transactions. Seeking justice must always adhere to the boundaries of the law.”


Korean dating show featuring AI and human contestants sparks fascination in China

Chinese live-streamer reportedly held for US$90,000 ransom in Myanmar

Artworks reveal Chinese rulers and Cixi loved role-playing long before modern cosplay

Chinese son’s video of mum’s final 14 days before sudden leukaemia death moves hearts online

Trending in China

Taiwan man wins lawsuit but gets jailed for using robot vacuum to record wife’s affair

Suspecting his wife of an affair, a Taiwanese husband remotely activated their home’s robot vacuum via a mobile app to gather video evidence. Photo: Shutterstock

Using the robot vacuum recordings as evidence, the husband won his civil lawsuit and was awarded NT$500,000 (US$16,000) for the violation of his marital rights. Photo: Shutterstock

The live camera feed caught his wife undressed during an intimate encounter with another man inside their holiday home. Photo: Shutterstock

‘Never sell love for money’: China actress Jing Tian hits back at crypto mogul Justin Sun’s claims

Crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun is taking legal action against actress Jing Tian and her parents, seeking 30 million yuan (US$4.5 million) due to a personal and financial dispute. Photo: SCMP composite/SCMP/Weibo

Sun’s interest in Jing Tian dates back to 2007, when she was prominently featured as the face of a major Chinese instant-messaging platform, coinciding with the start of his university journey. Photo: Weibo

Sun shared with mainland media that he frequently turns to AI for key business decisions, but found its advice about his relationship with Jing Tian to be unsettling. Photo: X@sunyuchentron

In a scene from “Kong: Skull Island” (2017), Jing Tian’s studio emphasised that they will address the ongoing dispute through legal avenues. Photo: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Chinese cinema offers noon nap service with flat seats to boost lunchtime business

A cinema in Xian has launched a midday nap service, offering fully reclinable seats to boost business during the low-traffic lunchtime hours. Photo: RedNote

While blankets, coffee, and beverages are complimentary, disposable earplugs and eye masks are available for a nominal fee of about 88 US cents each. Photo: Baidu

The initiative aims to boost weekday occupancy rates in screening halls, which typically see low attendance during the daytime. Photo: Baidu

Wittily branded as the ‘Lying Flat Plan,’ the service taps into a popular Chinese internet subculture reflecting the younger generation’s desire to resist burnout and slow down. Photo: Baidu

‘Hang in there’: Chinese boys offer US$1.50 to struggling store owner, sparking wave of support

After learning about their neighbourhood store’s impending closure, three young boys pooled their resources, contributing a total of 10.5 yuan (US$1.50) to help the owner. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

The trio seen discussing how to help struggling store owner Chen before pooling their limited resources on his counter. Photo: Baidu

The crumpled banknotes left on the counter brought store owner Chen to tears, moving countless online users after he shared the CCTV footage of the heartfelt gesture. Photo: QQ.com

Praised for their kindness, the boys inspired local residents to visit the store, showing their support for Chen by sharing videos of their visits. Photo: Baidu

Chinese worker develops severe muscle breakdown after manager punishes her with 200 squats

A Chinese employee was diagnosed with severe muscle breakdown after being forced to do 200 squats as a workplace disciplinary punishment. Photo: Douyin

Yang recorded video evidence of herself doing the squats in multiple office locations to send to her supervisor as proof. Photo: Handout

Yang sought help from a local TV show; confronted by reporters, the manager admitted violating labour laws. Photo: Handout

Chinese woman, 31, faces lifelong walking issues after water-only diet cuts 20kg in weeks

A woman from Zhengzhou, Henan, lost 20kg in just two weeks on a water-only crash diet, risking her long-term health. Photo: Shutterstock

The extreme diet resulted in confusion, balance issues, eye movement disorders, and memory impairment. Photo: Shutterstock

Experts emphasise that healthy weight loss is best achieved through a balanced diet and regular physical activity, not severe caloric restriction. Photo: Shutterstock

News

People & Culture

Court rules that marital obligations do not override individual’s right to privacy, sentencing husband to five months in prison


Court rules that marital obligations do not override individual’s right to privacy, sentencing husband to five months in prison.


Taiwan man wins lawsuit but gets jailed for using robot vacuum to record wife’s affair

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Court rules that marital obligations do not override individual’s right to privacy, sentencing husband to five months in prison

Court rules that marital obligations do not override individual’s right to privacy, sentencing husband to five months in prison