Social Networks in Cambodia

 Cambodia hosts Blogfest.Asia in Siem Reap province from Nov 1-5, 2012. There are 15 representatives countries such as Australia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Lao, Brunei, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Italy, attending this event to share lesson learn and challenging of internet users in their countries.

I attended this event and I was so interesting this event because I obtained a lot of knowledge regarding IT development and social change through internet users. Facebook is popular for young generation in Cambodia. Some people use facebook or blog for making their business and hobbies but other people use them for exchanging opinion on political issue and discuss on legal framework in Cambodia.  

The representatives' countries reported about the development of technology in each country and they also reported about the impact of internet user for social change. Particularly, Bun Tharum, Cambodian, co-organizer reported the number of using internet in recently years is jumped up if it's compared with neighbor countries. Youth generation use facebook and blogspot to express their feeling in society and also make online business. However, it has many obstacles for remote areas are difficult to access it because of price of electricity and internet.    

Through my observation, the government officials of Cambodia also started to use facebook to spread information to stakeholders and to eliminate some bad news to attack the current government. H.E Khieu Kanharith, Minister of Information Minister always post message from result of meeting of Council of Minster and other issues related to government’s decision. Meanwhile, H.E Phay Siphan, spokesman of Council of Minister always protects government’s reputation through post his comment on his wall and other groups.

The professional groups that I see in facebook and keep their unique and distinguish professional discussion on legal issues such as Critical Legal Thinking, Update Law Enforcement Network, KHMERLAWS GROUP, and Legal Forums & Updates. These groups are talking on legal analysis and share legal opinions. However, among of this group were inactive because the members move to new group who have active moderators over there.

Besides above groups, it’s found many groups that creating without clearly objective. Some people use these groups to attack bad word each other and try to influence and disseminate political agenda over there.

Challenge of internet users in Cambodia: The coercion against internet users are sometimes happening when the persons vocal political issue. Recently, Ministry of Interior (MoI) and Ministry of Telecommunication (MoT) issued its guideline for internet café and public phone operators shall install the security camera, and also record the identity and also shoot picture who phoned at their shop. The decree was raised aim to secure the PUBLIC SECURITY; afraid the TERRORISTS conduct activity and also reduce the crimes in Cambodia. This message might be interpreted that government want to restrict people’s freedom.

In the future government has intention to have cyber law to punish internet user to prevent from faking account from personal and else (H.E Khieu Kanharith spoke during the end of Blogfest.Asia). However, It's not known content of such law. I think the government will consult this law with public to comment in order to harmonize the implementation of the law.