Cambodia's Digital Push Faces Gaps in Access, Literacy, and Protection

Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association Listen to the audio version of this article (generated by AI). Cambodia’s push toward a digital economy is apparently leaving gaps in internet access, digital literacy and user protections, civil society groups said at the Phnom Penh Internet Forum 2026, urging the government and private sector to expand affordable connectivity and strengthen safeguards for digital rights. Themed “Digitalization for Inclusive Development and Human Rights in Cambodia”, the forum was organized by the Digital Rights Working Group (DRWG) to promote digital rights and internet freedom in Cambodia and hear from civil society, government, the private sector, experts and international partners regarding challenges and opportunities, share knowledge and experiences, and engage in dialogue on digital rights policies. This year’s event brought together 200 participants, including youth, diplomats, civil society representatives and Indigenous groups. However, there were no representatives from relevant ministries. Sin Bolai, a program officer at Conserve Indigenous Peoples Languages Organization (CIPL), said findings from their research showed at least 72.5% of the population use smartphones, but most people have no access to public internet services. While internet services remain expensive, inadequate infrastructure causes unequal access for people in remote areas unlike those living in urban areas. These challenges result in youth and Indigenous people missing out on opportunities, including access to information, education and knowledge about developments in digital technology. Bolai said at least 65.3% of people are not able to access the internet due to poor infrastructure such as absent service antennas, while 61.7% have limited digital skills. Of those, 86.5% require additional training on digital use. At the same time, access to information is limited, with people being dependent on information shared by community leaders and digital social networks. “We see that they all use [digital technology], but they need knowledge and confidence in using it. Therefore, infrastructure, digital literacy and internet security should be developed, along with support for the goals of Indigenous and vulnerable groups, and affordable access,” she said. Their survey also showed that 13.5% out of 200 indigenous people have experienced scams and harassment, while 12.4% experienced inappropriate language, and 6.7% received false information. As for access to electricity, only 28% of people in remote areas have it. To address these challenges, including concerns about digital knowledge, Bolai said, communities require additional training, while schools should also provide education for target groups. Hieng Omouy, executive director of Asia Digital Technology Innovation, said research shows more than 10 million people use the internet, but internet use and digital literacy are “two different things”. To ensure digital technology is used productively and to its full potential, people need digital skills, while policies must be developed to support public services. Private companies must also consider the quality of their service and ensure they are affordable. She noted that digital inclusion has four components, comprising affordable access; safe and secure use, media and information literacy, including artificial intelligence (AI) literacy, and responsible use. “From now on, what we can do to ensure digital inclusion is for the government to continue developing policies that allow people to use public digital systems, as well as developing infrastructure. Private companies must create different solutions that everyone can use with good quality and at an affordable price,” Omouy said. She mentioned that Cambodia is undergoing rapid digital transformation, driven by expanding internet connectivity, digital public services, e-commerce, digital payments, social media use and, more recently, the adoption of AI. Cambodia’s Digital Economy and Society Policy Framework 2021-2035, is aimed at creating new opportunities for economic growth, innovation, public service delivery and citizen participation. Several other initiatives have also been drawn up, including Cambodia Digital Government Policy 2022-2035, a draft personal data protection law, and draft National AI Strategy 2025-2035. However, civil society and digital-sector actors asserted that there are gaps in internet access and legislation to protect users amid threats of freedom of expression and human rights. According to a 2025 report by Freedom House, Cambodia scored 42 out of 100 and was classified as “partly free” in terms of internet freedom. However, Cambodia’s press freedom ranking fell to 161st out of 180 countries assessed by Reporters Without Borders in 2025. During the discussion, Sam Somony, executive director of Digital Future Cambodia, said that digital connectivity involves looking at infrastructure and whether connectivity is affordable. Electricity is a key factor for infrastructure needed for digital connectivity and questioned whether electricity access in Cambodia is sufficient and if it covers the entire country, he pointed out. He also noticed that internet connectivity is concentrated mainly in urban areas. Digital inclusion is a process in which everyone has equal opportunities to participate in economic and social activities through the use of digital technology. Somony said the Digital Economy and Society Policy, which is a national digital economy policy, serves as the foundation. It is divided into three stages, with Cambodia currently at the digital foundation stage, and is progressing “more slowly than in other countries in the region”. He added that at least 30% of the population do not have access to the internet. The framework also covers laws and security, including privacy and human-capital development, as well as legal infrastructure for security management and public services, digitalization of commerce and digital businesses. “The shortcoming is user trust. So, we need to look back and ask whether all these policies protect users, protect companies or protect the government. There is also not yet enough integrity in consultations during the drafting of laws. We need to ensure meaningful participation,” Somony said. Meanwhile, Nay Pathiya, acting head of information technology security and compliance of CamGSM Co Ltd, said the private sector must work with the government. His company has 3,140 network sites covering 90% of the network across Cambodia. He acknowledged that some areas in Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri provinces have service while others do not, primarily because infrastructure has not yet reached those areas. Another factor is investment, Pathiya said, as building antenna towers requires significant funding. Am Sam Ath, operations director of Licadho, shared that freedom of expression and human rights are critical issues. Noting that Cambodia i