NPC issues advisory: No circumcision videos, please

MANILA, Philippines — The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has issued an advisory on the oversharing of personal and sensitive content, especially involving children, after the video of a child undergoing circumcision circulated on social media over the weekend.

“We strongly urge the public to avoid sharing such sensitive content, particularly when it involves minors, as it exposes them to potential cyberbullying and infringes upon their privacy and dignity,” the commission urged.

“The unauthorized sharing of videos or images involving children not only violates their privacy rights, but it may also lead to serious psychological and social consequences,” it added.?“If you encounter the video online, please report it to the platform administrators immediately,” it further appealed.

Many young male children are now undergoing the Filipino rite of passage during the two-month school year break.

“Most social media and video-sharing platforms have mechanisms in place to address and remove content that violates privacy standards,” the NPC noted.

“Furthermore, we call upon health care providers to diligently remind parents and guardians taking pictures and videos of health care practices/operations on the importance of responsible social media usage,” the NPC stressed.

“The privacy and dignity of our children must be safeguarded at all costs. Let us uphold our responsibility in maintaining a safe and respectful online environment for everyone,” it urged.