Miley Cyrus is getting some lashing from no less than parents of her Hannah Montana fans. Cyrus's latest music video for "Who Owns My Heart" is getting castigated by parents for being sexualized.

In a statement, Parents Television Council President Tim Winter said: "While we understand the desire for a teenaged performer like Miley Cyrus to break free of the type-cast roles that made her a star, it is unfortunate that she would participate in such a sexualized video like [Who Owns My Heart]"

"It sends messages to her fan base that are diametrically opposed to everything she has done up to this point. Miley built her fame and fortune entirely on the backs of young girls, and it saddens us that she seems so eager to distance herself from that fan base so rapidly."

Interestingly, Miley Cyrus's father Billy Ray Cyrus sits at the advisory board of the Parents Television Council.

In their website, the organization described itself as "a non-partisan education organization advocating responsible entertainment" which provides information free of charge "so parents can make informed viewing choices for their own families."

The Parents Television Council aims to ensure that children are not constantly assaulted by sex, violence and profanity on television and in other media. They claim to have more than 1.3 million-strong membership across the United States.

Miley Cyrus rose to fame via the 2006 Disney vehicle Hannah Montana which focuses on a celebrity singer living a double life. Since then, Cyrus has began cultivating a more adult image with the release of The Time of Our Lives in 2009, and by filming romantic movie The Last Song this year.

Cyrus released a studio album titled Can't Be Tamed this year 2010, whose music video for the eponymous lead single has sparked debate whether Miley Cyrus ought to adapt a more sexualized image to avoid being typecast.

Cyrus is now 17-year old, and has a boyfriend in Australian actor Liam Hemsworth who is much older than the Hollywood celebrity. Watch Who Owns My Heart music video in YouTube.