Siem Reap: The Minister of Information, Khieu Kanharith, has stated that fake news has made people lose their trust in the government, so journalists play an important role in helping to dispel and eliminate fake news through the broadcast of true information. This statement was made at the “Harmful Effects and Government Actions in Dealing with Fake News” seminar in Siem Reap on Friday morning.
Speaking at the seminar on fake news, Minister of Information, Khieu Kanharith, said that Cambodia has seen the circulation of a lot of fake news especially during the outbreak of Covid-19. He added that opposition groups fabricate news in order to erode public trust in the government, so journalists have an important role to play in eliminating the spread of this fake news through the dissemination of factual information.
He continued that journalists perform their professional roles even in stressful situations such as during the spread of Covid-19, as a necessary contribution in support of the government, as urgent policies, responses to new events and crucial information must reach the public in a timely manner. In addition, he stated that journalists also help to relay the necessary needs of the people back to the government.
The Minister also thanked the Government of China for its "Lancang-Mekong Cooperation" mechanism which has provided aid through special funds to countries along the Mekong River, such as Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. He said that through this grant, the Ministry of Information has been able to conduct a research project on the impact of fake news and the necessary government solutions needed. He added that the Ministry will also publish a book based on the results of this research.
On the subject of laws against fake news, the Minister stated that Cambodia has not yet considered an anti-fake news law or mechanism like the one that exists in Singapore because Cambodia has a good level of governance. However, he added that some other relevant laws, such as a technology-related crime law, may be passed in the future.
The Director General of the Department of Information and Broadcasting, Phos Sovann, also spoke at the seminar and said that the Ministry of Information has previously established a Fake News Monitoring Committee. He added that the Ministry of Information has been actively working in cooperation with the National Police Commissioner General of the Ministry of Interior and the Cambodian Telecommunications Regulator of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, to prevent the spread of fake news. Because of these efforts, he said that some cases have been resolved in a timely manner, however, in other cases, fake news is created and distributed freely on social media, which the government is unable to control.
