Public attention has been drawn to Section 67 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), amid ongoing discussions on social media about the circulation of private and intimate content.

The conversation intensified following trending reports on X and other platforms between February 12 and 13, 2026, regarding a man claiming to be Russian and identifying himself as Yaytseslav.

Inside details of how the alleged Russian luring Ghanaian women operates

Several videos circulating online show him approaching women, particularly around the Accra Mall, engaging them in conversation, and recording the interactions.

According to social media posts, some women allegedly exchanged phone numbers with him and later visited his apartment.

While summary-style versions of the encounters are shared on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, it is alleged that extended recordings are available through a paid private subscription channel on Telegram.

One widely discussed clip reportedly shows a woman identified as Angela at his residence, wrapped in a towel, a scene that has sparked significant public concern.

Many have called on authorities to act swiftly and apprehend the Russian national, urging that he be made to face the law for what they describe as criminal activity.

What the law says

Section 67 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) specifically addresses the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

The law prohibits anyone from intentionally distributing, or causing the distribution of, intimate images or visual recordings of another person without their consent, where there is intent to cause serious emotional distress.

Importantly, the Act applies when there was a reasonable expectation of privacy at the time the image or recording was created and at the time it was shared.

The legislation defines “serious emotional distress” as intentional conduct that results in mental reactions such as fright, anxiety, worry, mortification, shock, humiliation, indignity, as well as physical pain.

Under Section 67, a person found guilty of non-consensual sharing of intimate images faces imprisonment ranging from one to three years.

Read Section 67 below:

Non-consensual sharing of an intimate image

A person shall not, with intent to cause serious emotional distress, intentionally distribute or intentionally cause another person to distribute the intimate image or prohibited visual recording of another identifiable person without the consent of the person depicted, and in respect of which there was a reasonable expectation of privacy both at the time of the creation of the image or visual recording and at the time the offence was committed.

A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment of not less than one year and not more than three years.

For the purpose of this section, “serious emotional distress” includes any intentional conduct that results in mental reactions such as fright, nervousness, grief, anxiety, worry, mortification, shock, humiliation, indignity, as well as physical pain.

Section 68 also addresses threats to distribute prohibited intimate images or visual recordings:

A person shall not threaten another person to distribute a prohibited intimate image or visual recording in a way that would reasonably cause that person distress.

Social media uproar as alleged Russian trends for luring Ghanaian women into filmed encounters

A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment of not less than one year and not more than three years.

Meanwhile, new information indicates that the Russian national has deleted videos of his Ghanaian victims from his TikTok account following public outrage.

MAG/MA

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