In Puebla, a troubling digital trend has emerged: Telegram groups are reportedly sharing and selling intimate content of women from the region. The collective Mal Habladas Mx revealed that four new Telegram groups linked to Puebla are actively distributing sexual images, demanding either a payment of 150 pesos or an exchange of photos for access.

This year alone, the collective has identified about 30 online spaces across platforms like Telegram, Facebook, and WhatsApp where similar activities occur, often without the consent of the women involved. Some groups even reference local areas such as Angelópolis, Cholula, and the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), with each group reportedly hosting over 200 users.

One particularly concerning group, “Quemadas Puebla,” requires payment or the submission of four to eight photos of women with social media profiles to gain entry. These images then become part of a growing digital archive, which Mal Habladas Mx estimates contains more than 8,000 intimate photos. The collective warns that some content may involve minors, raising the possibility of child pornography offenses.

This issue is not isolated to Puebla; similar groups have been detected in Chiapas, Veracruz, and Tlaxcala, where intimate images are exchanged and distributed without consent. The groups often act as backups, reemerging after main channels are shut down—usually following mass reports, as happened about three months ago. Administrators frequently migrate to new channels to keep the operation alive, maintaining user flow and income.

Despite these alarming developments, the response from authorities has been criticized as insufficient. Members of Mal Habladas Mx who approached Puebla’s Fiscalía Especializada en Violencia de Género y Ciberacoso to file complaints were told that investigations could only proceed if the complainants were direct victims. They were asked to find affected women and return with individual reports before any formal inquiry could begin.

The collective views this as institutional neglect and calls on state and prosecutorial authorities to launch investigations proactively, without waiting for direct victim reports.

For women affected by these violations, Mal Habladas Mx offers free psychological and legal support through their social media channels. This support is crucial in a context where digital abuse intersects with gender violence and systemic barriers to justice.

As Puebla prepares to expand its public transport options, including the upcoming cablebús system, the need for safe, inclusive urban environments becomes even more pressing. Digital safety and respect for women’s rights must be part of broader social policies that protect all residents, especially those vulnerable to exploitation in both physical and virtual spaces.