Cambodian Government Using Fake News Law To Silence Critics And Coronavirus Reporting

Cambodian Government Using Fake News Law To Silence Critics And Coronavirus Reporting

3 years ago
Anonymous $9CO2RSACsf

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200430/14270944416/cambodian-government-using-fake-news-law-to-silence-critics-coronavirus-reporting.shtml

In 2018, Cambodia's government passed a "fake news" law. It was enacted shortly before a general election, allowing the government to stifle criticism of the Prime Minister. It also required all local websites to register with the government and put government employees to work scouring social media for violations.

The government's new power to decide what is or isn't "real" news allowed it to consolidate its power over the local press. One newspaper was sold to a Malaysian firm that also performed PR work for the Prime Minister, giving the PM the ability to produce news unlikely to ever be classified as "fake."