Various ministries and institutions in Cambodia are increasingly busy responding to the frequent spread of fake news on social media, particularly content originating from abroad.

The latest instance occurred today, September 3, when a fake Royal Decree falsely claimed that Minister of Interior Sar Sokha had been promoted to the title of Samdech Krom Preah, or prince. Sokha immediately denied the claim and urged the authorities to bring the perpetrator to justice.

Tep Asnarith, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Information, noted that misinformation has been on the rise as the world becomes more interconnected through modern communication methods, partly fueled by the misuse of AI technology.

He stressed that combating fake news requires the involvement of all sectors, especially citizens who are the primary recipients, distributors and users of information on social media platforms. He said that they play a key role in preventing and reducing the spread of misinformation.

Asnarith mentioned that the ministry will launch a campaign titled “Say No to Fake News!” at the end of 2024, aiming to reduce the presence of false reports in the public information space and ensure information security.

“The goal of this campaign is to change the behaviour of social network users and those on modern communication platforms to prevent the spread of fake news in Cambodian society,” he said.

“When citizens and users become aware of the dangers of fake news and learn to exercise caution and responsibility – especially by verifying information before sharing it – we can all contribute to reducing misinformation in our information space,” he added.

To prevent the spread of disinformation, Asnarith urged people to break the habit of quickly sharing information without first reading and verifying it, and not to fully trust information that comes solely from social media.

When encountering questionable information, he suggested developing the habit of cross-checking with other sources, such as traditional media, including newspapers, television, radio, news websites and professional media outlets with ethical journalism standards.

He also urged citizens to “share or disseminate only true and positive information to help maintain safety, order and security in daily life for the benefit of your family, those around you and yourself”.

Nop Vy, president of the Cambodian Journalists Alliance (CamboJA), stated that to effectively combat the issue, it is first essential to define what constitutes fake news and to clearly distinguish it from legitimate criticism of the government.

“Therefore, transparency is needed in defining what is considered fake news. While it is important to take action against [it], it is even more crucial to address its root causes by educating the public on what fake news is, what constitutes real news worth sharing and how to identify false information,” he said.

“I believe that cooperation and promoting public participation in disseminating accurate information and educating the public, including the involvement of NGOs, are essential in combating fake news. Moreover, it is important to ensure that efforts to prevent fake news do not infringe upon citizens' basic freedoms,” he added.