The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), acting in its capacity as the country’s designated Data Protection Authority, has issued a stern public warning over the circulation of intimate videos on social media and other online platforms, cautioning that anyone found recording, publishing, or sharing such content without consent risks steep fines and possible imprisonment.
In a public notice signed by Director General Mayamiko Nkoloma and dated August 18, 2026, MACRA said it had noted with concern the spread of videos depicting individuals in intimate acts, which were recorded and disseminated without the consent of the people involved.
According to the notice, the Data Protection Act of 2024 protects the privacy and personal data of every individual, and defines “processing” of personal data broadly to include collection, recording, storage, and publication. The Authority explained that recording, publishing, sharing, or otherwise distributing intimate content showing an identifiable person amounts to processing of personal data — an act that must be carried out on a lawful basis in line with the requirements of the Act.
MACRA warned that any person who, without lawful basis, records intimate content of another person, publishes or uploads such content online, or forwards, shares, reposts or otherwise disseminates it, will be in breach of the Data Protection Act. Such conduct, the Authority said, is subject to enforcement action, including administrative penalties of up to K20 million.
The notice further cited Section 49 of the Data Protection Act, which criminalises the act of knowingly possessing information obtained in violation of the Act and going on to publish or share it without lawful authority. Offenders under this section, MACRA said, face a fine of up to K20 million and imprisonment for up to five years upon conviction.
In addition, the Authority pointed to Section 85(2)(e) of the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act of 2016, which makes it an offence to distribute pornographic material through an information system, including electronic and online platforms. Anyone convicted under this provision, MACRA said, is liable to a fine of K10 million and imprisonment for fifteen years.
The Authority has strongly urged anyone who has posted, uploaded, shared, forwarded, or otherwise circulated the videos in question to immediately remove the content from all platforms and cease any further dissemination.
MACRA also called on members of the public to respect the privacy, dignity, and personal data of others, urging an immediate end to any unlawful processing or sharing of personal data.
