Phnom Penh:Cambodia is set to host the 'ASEAN Multistakeholder Symposium on Mitigating Disinformation and Managing Synthetic Media in the Digital Era' on November 4-5. The event aims to bring together regional and international stakeholders to enhance cooperation in combating disinformation and addressing the challenges posed by the digital information landscape.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the symposium will be co-organized by the Ministry of Information, the German Federal Foreign Office through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Embassy of Switzerland to Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN. Key figures presiding over the event include Minister of Information H.E. Neth Pheaktra, German Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Silke Röfer, and Head of the Swiss Cooperation Office and Consular Agency in Cambodia Mr. Reto Grninger. Additionally, ASEAN Secretary-General H.E. Kao Kim Hourn will deliver pre-recorded remarks.
The event will convene various representatives, including those from the ASEAN Senior Officials Responsible for Information (SOMRI), the ASEAN Task Force on Fake News (TFFN), ASEAN sectoral bodies, government institutions, academic and research institutions, think tanks, civil society organizations, media outlets, social media platforms, and experts from ASEAN Member States, Germany, Switzerland, and the European Union.
The symposium aims to facilitate in-depth exchanges among policymakers, academics, civil society organizations, and social media service providers to develop practical and coordinated approaches to tackling disinformation. It will also explore ways for SOMRI to strengthen cooperation with academic institutions, think tanks, and social media companies, identifying emerging trends and gaps in the information and media landscape to support evidence-based research and best practices.
Discussions will address the challenges of misinformation and disinformation, focusing on effective information governance, media and information literacy, and digital strategies to enhance regional responses. The symposium also plans to support research paper compilation and a podcast series to raise public awareness.
The event is expected to contribute to regional peace, social stability, and harmony by improving information management, security, and diplomacy while fostering multilateral cooperation. It also seeks to build stronger networks among government institutions, researchers, civil society organizations, and technology companies, balancing efforts to counter false information with respect for freedom of expression.
This initiative builds on the Ministry of Information's 'Say No to Fake News' campaigns, aiming to further Cambodia's engagement with ASEAN Member States and dialogue partners in addressing disinformation, misinformation, and malinformation. The symposium comes amid rising concerns over fake news and AI-generated synthetic media on social media platforms, emphasizing the need for collective action to promote accurate and reliable information access, quality, and safety for all citizens.