Brussels Targeted by ‘Decline Porn’ YouTubers
Brussels has become the target of a growing wave of foreign YouTubers producing so-called “decline porn” content — a genre that portrays Western cities as suffering from severe urban and civilizational collapse. According to La Libre Belgique, the trend has raised serious concerns about the negative portrayal of the Belgian capital.
What Is “Decline Porn”?
The term was popularized by the BBC in February 2026 to describe a phenomenon where online influencers portray Western metropolises — from London and Manchester to San Francisco and New York — as overrun with immigrants and crime. The content typically focuses on poverty, drug use, unsanitary conditions, and insecurity, often blaming immigrants or political negligence for the situation.
The YouTubers Targeting Brussels
Several prominent creators have produced viral videos featuring Brussels neighborhoods, particularly around the North Station, Central Station, and Molenbeek. South African YouTuber Kurt Caz, who has more than 4 million followers, posted “Harassed In Europe’s Worst City! Brussels,” which garnered 2.3 million views before being removed in Belgium following a legal complaint. The video notably featured former Vlaams Belang member Dries Van Langenhove.
Dutch creator Tom Van den Heuvel, known as “Dutch Travel Maniac,” published a Brussels video that has amassed over 3.1 million views and more than 22,000 comments since September 2025. In the video, he walks through sensitive neighborhoods filming residents without consent and reacting aggressively when confronted. The German-Irish duo “Two Mad Explorers” also produced a Brussels video claiming “zero percent white people,” which has attracted nearly 171,000 views.
A Systematic Approach
According to RTBF, the creators employ a systematic approach: they walk through disadvantaged neighborhoods with cameras, filming poverty, drug consumption, and confrontations with residents filmed without consent. Sensationalist titles and anxiety-inducing music amplify the dramatic effect.
Researchers describe the genre’s effectiveness as relying on an impression of authenticity. “The objective is not necessarily to spread false information, but to offer an extremely selective narrative,” notes the research, as reported by EuropeSays. Creators leverage their image as “ordinary” internet users, perceived as more authentic than traditional media.
Expert Concerns: Framing and Far-Right Discourse
Specialists warn that this content reinforces anti-immigration or racist discourse and can influence public debate. François Debras, a professor at the University of Liège specializing in far-right discourse analysis, told France Info that “the message carries a very strong framing: immigration equals insecurity.”
Sigrid Raets of the Hannah Arendt Institute warns that these videos “not only reinforce far-right ideas, they also normalize them.” Daniël Jurg of the SMIT research group at VUB notes that “radical positions are mixed with innocent content,” creating an environment where extreme ideas gradually become acceptable.
AI Manipulation and Misinformation
The BBC investigation revealed that AI manipulation is increasingly used in this genre. Kurt Caz was accused of doctoring thumbnails with AI — adding Arabic text to English shop signs and placing a balaclava on a cyclist who was actually friendly in the original footage. The Wikipedia entry on decline porn documents how creators use generative AI and deepfakes to spread these narratives.
Anaëlle Gonzalez, a postdoctoral researcher at KU Leuven, told BRUZZ that “videos like this are dangerous because they involve framing and often misinformation too.” She also highlighted the problematic power dynamics: “People are filmed without consent and don’t always have the opportunity to clearly say no.”
Legal and Regulatory Implications
Belgian law requires consent for filming and publishing identifiable images of individuals. Kurt Caz’s video was removed in Belgium after a legal complaint. The phenomenon has also drawn attention from regulators — the EU’s Digital Services Act, implemented in 2024, aims to address algorithmic transparency and combat harmful content on platforms.
What to Watch For
The phenomenon extends beyond Brussels to Liège, Antwerp, and other European cities, as documented by Knack and The Bulletin. As AI tools become more accessible and the genre continues to gain millions of views, experts urge viewers to question the emotional responses these videos provoke and to cross-check information from multiple sources. The challenge for platforms, regulators, and citizens alike will be distinguishing between legitimate urban concerns and deliberately distorted narratives designed to fuel division.