GOVT OPEN TO EXPLORING LEGISLATION ON SHARENTING WITH STAKEHOLDERS - TEO

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 (Bernama) -- The government is open to engaging with stakeholders to evaluate the necessity of dedicated legislation to regulate the practice of sharenting. 

Deputy Minister of Communications Teo Nie Ching stated that such efforts would help ensure children are protected from exploitation and their privacy and security are safeguarded.

"Malaysia does not have existing legislation to address sharenting specifically. But we are ready to hold engagement sessions with stakeholders, non-governmental organisations, and ministries such as the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development. 

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"Whether we need a dedicated bill on the matter requires the agreement and consensus of all parties involved," she told Bernama today.

She appeared as a guest on an exclusive Bernama Radio interview on the topic, Online Safety: Government Commitment and the Role of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588).

The term sharenting combines the words sharing and parenting. It refers to the phenomenon where parents share photos, videos, and other personal information about their children on their social media accounts.

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Teo explained that to address this issue, the ministry, through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), consistently conducts awareness programmes to educate the public about the dangers of oversharing and to encourage safer online practices.

"Our advice to all adults is to avoid oversharing—not just information about children but also personal details about themselves. Such information can ultimately be exploited by criminals," she emphasised.

-- BERNAMA