The Ministry of Information’s Anti-Fake News Commission has declared its readiness to pursue legal action against all sources of misinformation.
The commission’s February 12 meeting chaired by minister Neth Pheaktra concluded that an effective, timely response to fake news is necessary to protect national security, political stability and social order.
It was the first such meeting chaired by Pheaktra, who was appointed to his position upon the inauguration of the seventh-mandate government last August. It was held to review the commission’s work of 2023 and set goals for 2024.
Ministry spokesperson Tep Asnarith explained that the meeting participants focused on the rapid development of technology, particularly the exponential growth of social media.
He said the commission has determined that disinformation has an undue influence on society and could lead to division and hostility among the people, undermining public order and national security. This is magnified by the growing sophistication of artificial intelligence (AI).
“The Anti-Fake News Commission will focus on its main task of monitoring misinformation and taking legal action against it in all of its forms. This will contribute to national security, political stability and social order,” he said.
Puy Kea, president of the Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ), said it is positive news that the government, through the ministry’s commission, is focused on preventing the spread of misinformation.
To help address the issue, he called on the spokespersons of all state institutions to respond to media enquiries as early as possible.
“I hope that the heads of all state institutions will allow their spokespersons to answer questions from journalists in a timely manner, because journalists need as much accurate information as possible. If they [journalists] cannot contact a government representative or do not receive an immediate response, they may inadvertently share misinformation,” he said.
He also reminded all journalists to be careful when publishing news, because information with no clear source may cause social unrest. Even if it does not hurt others, false news devalues the profession of journalism, he added.
Kea reminded all reporters and media staff that they must set good examples, so they must base their reporting on clear and comprehensive information sources.
The commission also announced that it will strengthen cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Justice and other relevant institutions, as well as all other stakeholders, to combat misinformation and maintain an orderly media environment.
