A method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium for encoding a privacy masked image into an encoded image frame of a video stream is disclosed. The encoding comprises receiving pixel divided image data of an image; receiving data defining an area and graphical characteristic of a privacy mask that masks part of the image; extending the privacy mask to be aligned with one or more encoding units having one or more pixels located within the privacy mask to form a redefined privacy mask; generating a privacy masked image by applying the redefined privacy mask and the graphical characteristic of the privacy mask to the image; and encoding the privacy masked image into the encoded image frame of the video stream, wherein the encoding comprises preventing spatial prediction encoding and/or temporal prediction encoding of pixels within the redefined privacy mask of the image in response to certain conditions.