(Phnom Penh): Tep Asnarith, Undersecretary of State and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Information, urged Cambodians, particularly young people, to strengthen media literacy and help prevent the spread of fake news.

He said the rapid growth of digital technology and artificial intelligence has increased the volume and speed of online information, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between accurate and false information.

"Media and information literacy is the ability to think, analyse, consider, and verify information sources before believing or acting on them," the undersecretary of state said.

Tep Asnarith warned that some fake news is deliberately created as "misleading propaganda" or with an "extreme political character" to incite hatred, divide national unity, and disrupt social stability.

The spokesperson called on citizens to become "information safety agents" by following three key practices: do not immediately believe or share information without a clear source, do not unintentionally help spread fake news, and verify information through official government sources and professional media outlets.

He also urged the public to consider the impact of information before sharing it and avoid content that causes fear, incites others or lacks a clear basis.
=FRESH NEWS