Cambodia’s Ministry of Information has issued new guidance aimed at strengthening responsibility among journalists, media organizations, content creators, social media influencers, website and account operators, and the wider public over content published online. Issued on August 15, 2026, the guidance focuses on content that violates the law, harms social morality, or damages the rights, reputation, and dignity of others, with particular attention to the protection of women. The move follows growing concern over abusive and degrading content on social media and comes shortly after Senate President Hun Sen called for stronger action to protect women’s dignity and social values.

The Ministry said freedom of expression and freedom of the press must go hand in hand with legal compliance, professional ethics, and social responsibility. In practical terms, people who create, publish, share, or promote online content are being reminded that what they post can carry both social and legal consequences.

Who Needs to Follow the New Guidance?

The guidance applies broadly across Cambodia’s digital information environment. It covers journalists, media organizations, content creators, social media influencers, website and social media account operators, and ordinary social media users.

The Ministry said these groups are expected to follow the law, professional codes of ethics, and their responsibilities toward society. They are also responsible for the content they produce, upload, share, or distribute.

This means the issue is no longer limited to traditional newsrooms. A social media post, video, interview, livestream, edited image, or other digital content can also raise concerns when it crosses legal or ethical boundaries.

What Types of Content Should Be Avoided?

The Ministry specifically called on users to avoid content that incites people, creates conflict, promotes hatred, insults or defames others, humiliates people, or violates social morality. Pornographic and indecent material, as well as content considered inconsistent with Cambodian social values, is also covered by the guidance.

The Ministry stated that all users should «ត្រូវចៀសវាងការផលិត ធ្វើបទសម្ភាសន៍នានា ការបង្ហោះ ការចែករំលែក ឬការផ្សព្វផ្សាយ មាតិកាដែលមានលក្ខណៈញុះញង់ បង្កហេតុ បង្កជម្លោះ ឬជំរុញឱ្យមានការស្អប់ខ្ពើម, ជេរប្រមាថ បរិហារកេរ្តិ៍ បន្ទាបបន្ថោក ឬធ្វើឱ្យអ្នកដទៃអាម៉ាស់, មាតិកាអាសអាភាស អនាចារ ឬផ្ទុយនឹងសីលធម៌ និង គុណតម្លៃល្អរបស់សង្គមខ្មែរ»។

Women’s Dignity Is a Particular Focus

One of the clearest parts of the guidance concerns content that insults, degrades, or otherwise harms the value, reputation, and dignity of women.

The Ministry also warned against using a woman’s appearance, body, private life, or vulnerability as a way to attract attention, increase views, or generate commercial benefits when doing so lowers her dignity or reputation. The guidance therefore places particular emphasis on the way women are portrayed and used in digital content.

The issue also extends to manipulated digital material. The Ministry specifically mentioned images, videos, audio, artificial intelligence technology, and other digital technologies that may be used to alter, distort, or create content that violates another person’s rights or causes harm.

What Could Happen to People Who Break the Rules?

The Ministry said violations may result in administrative measures, while more serious cases can lead to legal action when the circumstances warrant it.

For journalists and media organizations, administrative measures may include guidance, warnings, requests to correct or remove problematic content, and other measures related to compliance with licensing or authorization requirements. For content creators, influencers, website operators, and social media account operators outside the traditional media sector, the Ministry said it will work with relevant institutions and authorities on appropriate measures, including education, guidance, warnings, and requests to correct or remove violating content.

Where there are indications of a criminal offense, the Ministry said it will cooperate with competent authorities to pursue action under existing law. It also stressed that measures should take into account factors such as the nature and seriousness of the conduct, intent, scale of distribution, impact, repeated violations, and the level of responsibility of the individual or organization involved.

Why Is Cambodia Taking Action Now?

The new guidance follows a series of concerns over abusive behavior and offensive material appearing on social media. One recent case involved a dispute between a mobile phone seller and a frontline soldier, in which the seller was reportedly seen using inappropriate and insulting language toward the soldier.

The incident came shortly before Hun Sen, President of the Senate, called on relevant ministries and institutions, including the Ministry of Information, to monitor such issues and take appropriate action. He also called for the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to play a role in bringing cases against individuals whose actions undermine the value and dignity of women.

The Ministry’s latest guidance can therefore be seen as part of a broader effort to reinforce standards for online content and encourage greater responsibility among people who communicate through digital platforms.

Freedom of Expression Comes With Responsibility

The Ministry emphasized that freedom of expression and freedom of the press remain important, but they must be exercised alongside responsibility, professional ethics, respect for the law, and social morality.

For Cambodia’s growing community of digital creators, businesses, media organizations, and social media users, the message is straightforward. Online reach does not remove responsibility. Content created to attract views, generate engagement, or make money still needs to respect other people’s rights, dignity, and reputation.

What Does This Mean for Cambodian Content Creators and Businesses?

For content creators and businesses, the guidance is a reminder to review how content is produced, edited, promoted, and distributed. Content designed purely to generate clicks or engagement can create unnecessary legal and reputational risks if it relies on humiliation, insults, personal vulnerability, manipulated material, or degrading portrayals.

Businesses that work with influencers or operate their own social media channels may also need stronger internal review processes before publishing sensitive content. In particular, companies should pay attention to privacy, consent, the use of AI generated or manipulated media, and content involving individuals who may be vulnerable to public exposure.

The Ministry Calls for More Positive Online Content

Rather than focusing only on restrictions, the Ministry also called on media organizations, journalists, content creators, influencers, and the public to help build a safer, ethical, higher quality, and more responsible information environment.

It encouraged the production of positive and educational content that promotes family values, Cambodian culture and traditions, social morality, and the value, rights, reputation, and dignity of Cambodian women.

Conclusion

Cambodia’s latest social media guidance sends a clear message that online freedom comes with responsibility. Journalists, creators, influencers, businesses, and everyday users are expected to think carefully about the content they produce and share, particularly when it involves personal dignity, women, privacy, manipulated digital media, or material that could harm social morality.

As Cambodia’s digital economy and creator community continue to grow, responsible content will become increasingly important. The Ministry’s position is that protecting social morality and the rights, reputation, and dignity of others is not only a government responsibility, but a shared responsibility across Cambodia’s entire digital community.

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