Sharing of Children Online Information by Parents: The Legal and Parental Control in Malaysia

Abstract

Social media content significantly contributed to the infringement of children's online privacy. The images and information about children shared by parents (sharenting) become easy targets to be used for illicit purposes. The primary question centres around the principle that parents are legally responsible for their children. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 1989 recognises the main responsibility of parents for the upbringing and development of a child including the best interest of the child. Parents ought to protect the privacy of their children by making informed decisions when sharing the information and images of their children online. The research aims to examine the extent of the legal and parental control over the sharing of children information online by parents. The research employs a qualitative method and applies a content analysis approach. The research concludes that there is insufficient legal and parental control to address the above issues and requires statutory amendments and collective efforts to reconcile the matter.