In short
- Recording an event and publishing it are two separate decisions.
- One approval does not cover every use, venue, guest or piece of music.
- The organiser leads on guests and participants, and we follow the agreed limits.
- Start with recording versus publishing, then work through people, music and files.
Most event videos cause no problems. The few that do usually come from something nobody asked before filming: a guest who did not want to appear, a song nobody had cleared, or a private moment that ended up online.
Is recording the same as publishing?
No. Recording captures footage; publishing shows it to others. A private family film, a company intranet video and a public social post have different audiences and need different permissions. Read recording an event versus publishing it publicly first, then permissions to discuss before filming an event.
Malaysia’s Personal Data Protection Act 2010, amended in 2024, is one law to keep in mind when footage identifies people.
Where should you start?
Start with recording versus publishing, because it decides which other questions apply. Then settle people (who is filmed and how they are told), music (what plays and what is added) and files (who owns, keeps and can open them). Leave venues until you know where and when you film.
| Your situation | Start with |
|---|---|
| A wedding or family film | Keeping it private, then people in the video |
| A school event | Guardians and participant notices |
| A public conference or social post | Recording versus publishing, then music |
| A delivered video that now draws a complaint | Requests to remove or revise |
Tell us the type of event and where the video will be posted, and we will point you to the right guide.
What about the people in the video?
The organiser leads on a process for guests and participants. Start with participant notices and filming preferences, then decide how to handle people who do not want to appear. Some events have their own guide: school events, religious or culturally private moments, confidential sessions and private wedding and family films.
What about music?
Music raises two questions: what played at the event, and what is added later. A music licence does not automatically stop takedowns where other rights or platform rules remain unsettled. See music played at an event and music added to the video and music permissions for social posts, advertising and livestreams.
Who owns and keeps the files?
Settle who owns the video and what you may do with it: ownership, usage rights and raw files. Then cover retention and deletion, external editors and cloud tools, privacy in file names and galleries and requests to remove a published video.
What about venue rules and portfolio use?
Venues and destinations may have their own filming rules; see permits and permissions for destination filming. If the videographer asks to show your event to promote their work, see portfolio permission.
The filming and publication responsibilities checklist gathers these points. This is where we help: tell us about private moments, children, music or a public release when you message, and we will agree the limits with you before the day. Our event videography service explains how.
For a legal question about your event, ask a qualified adviser.
If your event has private moments, children, music or a public release, tell us when you message. We plan around it and agree the limits with you before the day.
Ask about your eventSources
- JPDP, Act 709, checked 2026-10-06
- JPDP, Act A1727, checked 2026-10-06
- MACP FAQ, checked 2026-10-06
Checked on the date shown. Rules and venue requirements change, so confirm them for your own event.