Cambodia & Press: H.E. Neth Pheaktra, ‘Say no to fake news!’

The Ministry of Information officially launched the ‘Say no to fake news!’ campaign last Monday, which aims to reduce and, ultimately, eliminate fake news on social networks in Cambodia. This initiative aims to guarantee information security, which remains one of the ministry's main missions.

H.E. Neth Pheaktra, Minister of Information, emphasised the rapid development of information technologies and the transition from traditional to modern media

He noted that social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok have become the most popular communication channels, making it easier for fake news to spread.

According to the minister, Cambodia has around 13 million active Facebook accounts, while TikTok and Messenger each have around 10 million.

H.E. Neth Pheaktra acknowledged the growing presence of fake news and real news, particularly on social media, which has led to public misunderstandings and has had a negative impact on public order, society, culture, traditions and trust in the leadership of the royal government.

He cited statistics from the previous year, revealing that 3,651 cases of fake news had been recorded, an increase of 14% compared to the 3,208 cases in 2023. Incidents related to fake news were particularly frequent in key areas such as national security, public order, politics, diplomacy, military affairs and government leadership.

H.E. Neth Pheaktra reiterated that the creation of fake news is not an exercise of freedom of expression or freedom of the press, but an illegal act. He emphasised the importance of collaboration between media institutions, content creators and other stakeholders, as well as the community, in the fight against fake news.

At a press conference held on Monday ahead of the launch of the campaign, H.E. the minister emphasised that most of the false information was generated by ill-intentioned individuals abroad seeking to sow trouble, distort the facts and deceive the public. Their aim, he said, is to provoke public anger, racial hatred, defamation and a loss of confidence in the royal government, with the ultimate goal of inciting a colour revolution to overthrow the government.

According to H.E. Tep Asnarith, Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Information and Permanent Vice-President of the Commission for the Fight against Fake News, the year-long campaign will begin in the capital, Phnom Penh, and will be extended to the 24 provinces until March 2026.

In Cambodia, fake news is generally classified into three categoriesndes catégories : la désinformation, la mésinformation et la malinformation.