PETALING JAYA: Social media users are reminded to refrain from recording and sharing any form of videos or photos of a third party without their consent.
Lawyer Nur A’minahtul Mardiah Md Nor said those caught recording and sharing videos or photos of someone without their permission can be charged under Section 509 of the Penal Code.
She said under the law, anyone with intent to insult the modesty of a person, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object with the aim that such words or sounds shall be heard, or that such gestures or objects shall be seen by a person, or intrudes on the privacy of a person, shall be punished with a prison term of up to five years or a fine, or both.
“I would like to remind all social media users to refrain from spreading photos or videos of any person without their permission or consent,” she said.
Nur A’minahtul was commenting on an incident involving a student who allegedly shared a video of a public university professor berating another student during an online class.
Other social media users were quick to spread the video and made hurtful comments against the professor, claiming her choice of words were insulting to low income earners.
However, after a thorough investigation by the university, it was revealed that the student the professor was speaking to was not the one who shared the video online.
“The student did not know about his classmate’s intention to spread the video nor did he agree with the action,” the university said in a leaked report following the investigation.
Attempts by theSun to contact the university’s vice-chancellor and corporate communications department were unsuccessful at press time.
Sources close to the university confirmed the vice-chancellor was no longer issuing comments on the incident as the matter was now in the hands of the Higher Education Ministry for further action.
