Malawi communications regulator MACRA warns that sharing private intimate videos without permission carries heavy cash fines and jail time.
The communications government watchdog in Malawi has issued a stern public warning, cautioning citizens against recording, uploading, or sharing private intimate videos of other people without their permission.
The regulatory office made it clear that forwarding explicit videos or photos across chat groups and social media platforms breaks national data protection laws and violates individual privacy.
Anyone caught posting, sharing, or keeping such private files without legal approval will face severe legal punishments, including heavy money fines and long jail sentences.
The official public notice was issued on August 18, 2026, by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority, commonly known as MACRA, from its national headquarters in Lilongwe, Malawi.
The urgent warning comes as the country’s official Data Protection Authority steps up enforcement following a recent increase in private adult videos being leaked and circulated across popular social media apps without the consent of the people shown in the clips.
The primary reason for this strict government warning is that under the new Data Protection Act of 2024, a person’s image, video, and personal information belong entirely to them, and using them without agreement is an illegal act.
When someone records, saves, posts, or forwards an intimate video of another person, they are unlawfully processing personal data and destroying that person’s dignity.
To stop citizens from causing harm and embarrassment to others, government authorities are enforcing harsh criminal penalties for anyone involved in spreading private media files across the internet.
Urging citizens to stop spreading leaked media and respect individual privacy rights, the official public notice stated that “the Authority urges members of the public to respect the privacy, dignity and personal data of others and to immediately cease any unlawful processing or dissemination of personal data”.
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Outlining the strong legal rules that protect people’s private information under national law, MACRA Director General Mayamiko Nkoloma explained that “recording, publication, sharing or otherwise disseminating intimate content depicting an identifiable individual constitutes processing of personal data,” stressing that any such act requires full legal consent.
Directly instructing individuals who have already shared or saved these private videos on their phones or computers, the official directive signed by Director General Mayamiko Nkoloma strongly urged anyone who has posted, shared, or forwarded such videos to “immediately delete them from all platforms and respect the privacy and dignity of others”.
Under the current legal rules, people who share private intimate content face government fines of up to 20 million kwacha and up to five years in prison for handling illegally obtained information.
Furthermore, sending explicit pornographic materials through electronic networks carries an additional penalty of up to 10 million kwacha and up to 15 years in jail.
By taking a strong stand against online abuse, Malawi is working to ensure that the internet remains a safe place where everyone’s personal rights and dignity are protected.
About the Author
Jennifer Sakmufuwo Baba is a tech analyst, senior staff, and writer covering artificial intelligence, cybersecurity , and emerging technologies at TechRegard. Based in Nigeria, she's passionate about translating complex tech developments into compelling, accessible stories for diverse audiences. Her work focuses on how technology shapes innovation across Africa and globally.
