Fake news has become a topic that the heads of state, represented by the executive and legislative branches, have always paid attention to and raised regularly, even in relation to the border tensions that occurred on May 28, 2025.
The border issue is a big issue and can affect the interests of the nation and the people. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that true information is disseminated faster than fake news to neutralize its poison.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has always emphasized this issue, and even during a recent meeting with journalists on May 3, he also raised this issue and urged and encouraged journalists to improve their professionalism and fight against fake news.
Separately, Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate, has also raised the issue regularly, and recently, in connection with the armed clashes between the Cambodian and Thai armies on the border in the Mom Tei area of Preah Vihear province, Samdech Techo also emphasized the fight against fake news.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen asked his compatriots to calm down and trust the leadership of the Royal Government and the Cambodian Armed Forces in resolving the issue through negotiations rather than by armed force.
The King called on the people to be careful of fake news that could lead to a war between the two countries. In addition to top leaders, the Ministry of Information has also paid close attention to the fight against fake news, even announcing a campaign in May.
But how to neutralize fake news?
The answer to this question will require both officials and the public to actively participate in disseminating real news quickly and widely to neutralize fake news. When real information is released in a timely manner, rumors or fake news will not have a chance to penetrate the minds of the people.
In this sense, it is necessary for officials in charge of information and public relations to release real information quickly. In times of crisis or importance, it will be even more necessary to provide real information to the people quickly. Government officials need to understand the strategy of public relations in times of crisis and form a team responsible for effective public relations in critical situations that require the public to receive accurate information in a timely manner.
The public should also participate in sharing this information and must have an understanding of what is true and what is false. To know whether a piece of information is true or false, one must look at the source of the information. For example, if the information is published by a professional and properly registered official, it will be true information because professional journalism is required to publish only true information.
What is issued by an official source, such as a leader, state institution, or state institution spokesperson, is also true information. On the contrary, information released by an unknown source may be fake information created to harm society or for personal gain.
In general, fake news needs to be neutralized with real information, but in cases where the real information is too slow to neutralize, it will not be able to neutralize the fake news effectively.
In short, relevant institutions and the public must join the campaign in the fight against fake news because fake news may have malicious intentions that can damage the interests of the people and the country of Cambodia.
