Malawi’s communications watchdog has warned that people who record, publish, or share explicit videos without consent can face severe criminal charges, including large fines and prison time. In a notice signed by MACRA Director General Dr Mayamiko Mkoloma, the authority said it has seen a worrying increase in non-consensual intimate content spreading on platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok and X.
Under the Data Protection Act of 2024, intimate media is classed as sensitive personal data, so sharing it without permission is illegal. Offenders can face administrative penalties of up to K20 million, while Section 49 allows fines up to K20 million and up to five years in prison for communicating illegally obtained data.
Sharing pornographic material also breaks the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act of 2016 and carries fines of up to K10 million and up to 15 years in prison. Dr Mkoloma urged people to delete such content immediately and stop forwarding it to protect victims’ privacy and dignity.
Discussion
No comments yet. Start the conversation.