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Cambodia’s push towards a digital economic system is seemingly leaving gaps in web entry, digital literacy and consumer protections, civil society teams mentioned on the Phnom Penh Web Discussion board 2026, urging the federal government and personal sector to increase inexpensive connectivity and strengthen safeguards for digital rights.
Themed “Digitalization for Inclusive Growth and Human Rights in Cambodia”, the discussion board was organized by the Digital Rights Working Group (DRWG) to advertise digital rights and web freedom in Cambodia and listen to from civil society, authorities, the personal sector, specialists and worldwide companions concerning challenges and alternatives, share data and experiences, and have interaction in dialogue on digital rights insurance policies.
This 12 months’s occasion introduced collectively 200 contributors, together with youth, diplomats, civil society representatives and Indigenous teams. Nonetheless, there have been no representatives from related ministries.
Sin Bolai, a program officer at Preserve Indigenous Peoples Languages Group (CIPL), mentioned findings from their analysis confirmed at the least 72.5% of the inhabitants use smartphones, however most individuals haven’t any entry to public web providers. Whereas web providers stay costly, insufficient infrastructure causes unequal entry for individuals in distant areas in contrast to these dwelling in city areas.
These challenges end in youth and Indigenous individuals lacking out on alternatives, together with entry to data, training and data about developments in digital know-how.
Bolai mentioned at the least 65.3% of persons are not in a position to entry the web attributable to poor infrastructure equivalent to absent service antennas, whereas 61.7% have restricted digital abilities. Of these, 86.5% require extra coaching on digital use. On the similar time, entry to data is proscribed, with individuals being depending on data shared by neighborhood leaders and digital social networks.
“We see that all of them use [digital technology], however they want data and confidence in utilizing it. Subsequently, infrastructure, digital literacy and web safety ought to be developed, together with assist for the targets of Indigenous and susceptible teams, and inexpensive entry,” she mentioned.
Their survey additionally confirmed that 13.5% out of 200 indigenous individuals have skilled scams and harassment, whereas 12.4% skilled inappropriate language, and 6.7% acquired false data. As for entry to electrical energy, solely 28% of individuals in distant areas have it.
To handle these challenges, together with issues about digital data, Bolai mentioned, communities require extra coaching, whereas faculties must also present training for goal teams.
Hieng Omouy, govt director of Asia Digital Know-how Innovation, mentioned analysis exhibits greater than 10 million individuals use the web, however web use and digital literacy are “two various things”.
To make sure digital know-how is used productively and to its full potential, individuals want digital abilities, whereas insurance policies have to be developed to assist public providers. Personal corporations should additionally contemplate the standard of their service and guarantee they’re inexpensive.
She famous that digital inclusion has 4 elements, comprising inexpensive entry; protected and safe use, media and data literacy, together with synthetic intelligence (AI) literacy, and accountable use.
“Any further, what we are able to do to make sure digital inclusion is for the federal government to proceed creating insurance policies that enable individuals to make use of public digital techniques, in addition to creating infrastructure. Personal corporations should create totally different options that everybody can use with good high quality and at an inexpensive value,” Omouy mentioned.
She talked about that Cambodia is present process fast digital transformation, pushed by increasing web connectivity, digital public providers, e-commerce, digital funds, social media use and, extra just lately, the adoption of AI.
Cambodia’s Digital Economic system and Society Coverage Framework 2021-2035, is aimed toward creating new alternatives for financial development, innovation, public service supply and citizen participation. A number of different initiatives have additionally been drawn up, together with Cambodia Digital Authorities Coverage 2022-2035, a draft private information safety legislation, and draft Nationwide AI Technique 2025-2035.
Nonetheless, civil society and digital-sector actors asserted that there are gaps in web entry and laws to guard customers amid threats of freedom of expression and human rights.
In keeping with a 2025 report by Freedom Home, Cambodia scored 42 out of 100 and was categorized as “partly free” when it comes to web freedom. Nonetheless, Cambodia’s press freedom rating fell to 161st out of 180 nations assessed by Reporters With out Borders in 2025.
Through the dialogue, Sam Somony, govt director of Digital Future Cambodia, mentioned that digital connectivity includes taking a look at infrastructure and whether or not connectivity is inexpensive. Electrical energy is a key issue for infrastructure wanted for digital connectivity and questioned whether or not electrical energy entry in Cambodia is enough and if it covers the whole nation, he identified.
He additionally observed that web connectivity is concentrated primarily in city areas. Digital inclusion is a course of during which everybody has equal alternatives to take part in financial and social actions by means of the usage of digital know-how.
Somony mentioned the Digital Economic system and Society Coverage, which is a nationwide digital economic system coverage, serves as the muse. It’s divided into three phases, with Cambodia at the moment on the digital basis stage, and is progressing “extra slowly than in different nations within the area”. He added that at the least 30% of the inhabitants don’t have entry to the web.
The framework additionally covers legal guidelines and safety, together with privateness and human-capital improvement, in addition to authorized infrastructure for safety administration and public providers, digitalization of commerce and digital companies.
“The shortcoming is consumer belief. So, we have to look again and ask whether or not all these insurance policies defend customers, defend corporations or defend the federal government. There’s additionally not but sufficient integrity in consultations through the drafting of legal guidelines. We have to guarantee significant participation,” Somony mentioned.
In the meantime, Nay Pathiya, performing head of data know-how safety and compliance of CamGSM Co Ltd, mentioned the personal sector should work with the federal government.
His firm has 3,140 community websites masking 90% of the community throughout Cambodia. He acknowledged that some areas in Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri provinces have service whereas others don’t, primarily as a result of infrastructure has not but reached these areas.
One other issue is funding, Pathiya mentioned, as constructing antenna towers requires vital funding.
Am Sam Ath, operations director of Licadho, shared that freedom of expression and human rights are essential points.
Noting that Cambodia is shifting from digital literacy towards larger digital improvement, Sam Ath mentioned current legal guidelines, nonetheless, “nonetheless don’t adequately defend customers’ rights”.
Whereas digital techniques have gotten more and more superior, legal guidelines defending residents’ privateness and freedoms within the digital sphere haven’t saved tempo, he added.
“For instance, the telecommunications legislation, we’ve got to ask: Who does this legislation give energy to? It seems to offer extra energy to the state to train larger management, whereas the businesses that present providers to customers are additionally coated. That is already an issue.”
