Cambodia uncovers 2,810 fake news cases in nine months

CAMBODIA’S Information Ministry says it has uncovered 2,810 cases of disinformation and misinformation linked to incitement, assaults, and border issues within the first nine months of the year.

According to Cambodianess, which is operated by Cambodian Media Broadcasting Corporation, Information Minister Neth Pheaktra raised concerns over the surge and urged media stakeholders to help curb the spread of fake news.

According to him, 2,122 of the cases were related to border issues.

Pheaktra said the ministry’s Anti-Fake News Commission has rolled out new measures to combat disinformation. These include stricter enforcement of press laws to strengthen ethics and professionalism, training programmes for journalists, and a nationwide anti-fake news campaign.

He added that the commission has improved its response system by ensuring that official information is released to the public promptly and accurately.

The minister appealed to citizens and journalists to keep supporting the campaign against fake news.

“Fake news must be buried by real news. If you see fake news, don’t overlook it,” Pheaktra said.

“You can join the campaign to eliminate the news by giving the real news, accurate and trustworthy with credible sources in forms of picture, videos or text.”

He said the best way to counter fake news is to make sure verified information takes over the newsfeed quickly.

“We must not let the fake news spread for a long time. The longer it is available, the more risks it’ll bring,” he added.

It remains unclear whether the incidents were genuinely related to fake news or were instead attempts to stifle freedom of expression and silence dissenting voices, given the country’s record of media crackdowns.

Cambodia’s press freedom ranking fell 10 places in just one year, now standing at 161 out of 180 countries, according to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index that was released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on May 2.

This decline from a ranking of 151 in 2024 indicates a “very serious situation” in the country.

For instance, in July, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ reported that two Journalists, Pheap Phara and Phon Sophea, were charged with treason while awaiting trial in custody, after they were detained following reporting on the Cambodia-Thailand border conflict.