July 11, 2025
PHNOM PENH – The rapid rise of digital technology has brought about countless benefits, but also new challenges, particularly in safeguarding the nation’s youth.
Several key government and civil society figures have expressed deep concerns about the negative impact of the unregulated social media on adolescents.
Hang Samphors, president of the Cambodian Women’s Information Network, highlighted the detrimental effects of social media on the younger generation.
According to Samphors, the morality of content shared on social platforms has worsened, particularly as children and adolescents are exposed to inappropriate images and activities without any restrictions.
“The impact is not just short-term,” she said, emphasising the immediate risks of children’s declining focus on their studies.
“Long-term consequences could result in poor quality human resources, leading to slow social development and insufficient growth for the country,” she added.
Social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook, though ostensibly self-regulated, are under scrutiny for trends that expose children and adolescents to potentially harmful and sexualised content, raising concerns among parents and child safety advocates.
Beyond innocent viral challenges, some popular “dance challenges” feature overtly suggestive movements or attire, encouraging young users to imitate adult behaviour without fully grasping the implications.
Furthermore, “thirst traps” and body-centric content, which primarily aim to garner sexual attention, contribute to the sexualisation of youth, fostering body image issues and an unhealthy reliance on external validation.
Disturbingly, certain beauty and skincare routines, particularly those targeting young girls, can subtly promote unrealistic beauty standards and even embed racist messages, leading to self-esteem problems and body dissatisfaction.
Even more concerning are trends involving “fetish content”, which are often subtly embedded and may go unnoticed by young viewers or their guardians.
Another alarming issue is “involuntary sexualiation”, where minors are filmed or photographed in highly sexualised ways without consent, causing serious psychological harm and violating their personal rights.
Beyond sexualised material, young users face significant risks from cyber-bullying and harassment, leading to distress and depression.
They are also exposed to inappropriate content like violence, hate speech and the promotion of self-harm.
The spread of misinformation and the threat of online predators and scams further endanger youth.
The constant online presence also fuels social comparison, negatively impacting mental health with issues like low self-esteem and anxiety.
Excessive screen time can lead to addiction and sleep deprivation, hindering studies and social development.
Moreover, dangerous viral challenges can encourage risky behaviour, sometimes with severe consequences, while privacy and data breaches remain a constant threat to personal information.
These combined factors can result in profound psychological distress, behavioural changes, developmental issues and long-term consequences for young people.
The negative effects of social media on children’s mental and emotional development have been widely documented across the globe, and Cambodia is no exception.
With the rapid proliferation of digital content, many young Cambodians are increasingly consuming media that could influence their behaviour in harmful ways.
Samphors noted that vulnerable groups, particularly children, need greater guidance in navigating the digital world.
She advocated for more stringent measures to regulate social media usage for minors, suggesting that parents and guardians play an active role in guiding their children through their online experiences.
“Parents must spend quality time with their children and protect them from harmful influences,” she said.
“The impact of unrestricted access to social media could be devastating,” he added.
Sar Sinet, director of the Legal Protection Department at the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, outlined the government’s ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable groups from online violence, which can be exacerbated by social media platforms.
According to Sinet, the ministry is taking a multi-pronged approach to address online abuse and promote social morality.
The ministry is working to create standard operating procedures for responding to immorality and online violence, in collaboration with the National Committee for Promoting Social Morality and other relevant government institutions.
Additionally, it has coordinated the development of a national action plan to combat violence against women and girls.
“Providing legal support for victims, building the capacity of service providers, and organising educational campaigns are some of the ways we’re addressing the issue,” Sinet explained.
“We are also preparing media codes of conduct for reporting on violence against women to prevent further harm,” she added.
As social media plays an increasing role in Cambodian life, the government’s focus has shifted towards education and prevention.
Sum Map, spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, noted the challenges of managing the ever-growing volume of problematic content.
He explained that, while monitoring social media and reporting harmful material to platforms is important, the sheer volume makes enforcement difficult.
“We constantly monitor it, but some cases on social media are difficult because the volume of content is increasing daily,” said Map.
“We’re committed to educating our citizens about responsible social media use and respect for cultural values,” he added.
Map emphasised that the ministry’s approach is not punitive but focuses on education and guidance, rather than criminalisation.
“We prioritise an education-first approach. We don’t want to impose harsh measures that could negatively impact people’s lives, but we need to ensure that individuals respect the dignity of the nation and refrain from harmful online behaviour,” he explained.
Social media platforms like TikTok and Meta (Facebook, Instagram) are stepping up with safety measures including age restrictions, stricter content moderation and parental control tools to protect young users from harmful content.
However, these safeguards aren’t foolproof. Experts stress that parents and educators are equally vital.
They must engage in open conversations about online risks, set clear boundaries, monitor usage and teach critical thinking skills to help children navigate the digital world responsibly.
As of early 2025, Cambodia had 24.65 million active mobile connections, surpassing the total population of 17.03 million. This indicates that many individuals own multiple devices, according to datareportal.
It said approximately 10.8 million Cambodians were internet users in January 2025, equating to a 60.7 per cent penetration rate. This marks a slight increase from 2024, where 9.66 million users represented 56.7 per cent of the population.
In June 2025, Cambodia had 13.86 million Facebook users, accounting for 76.8 per cent of the population.
A slight majority of users were men (54.4%), with the 25–34 age group being the largest demographic, according to napoleoncat, and brains-comm said Facebook remains the dominant platform, followed by Instagram and Messenger.
In October 2023, Meta rolled out a “StopNCII” portal in Cambodia — co-developed with the Telecommunications Regulator of Cambodia and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children — allowing adults to hashtag and remove intimate images shared non-consensually.
In March, Minister of Post and Telecommunications Chea Vandeth joined a TikTok–hosted workshop promoting responsible content creation and content moderation among Cambodia’s 10 million TikTok users.
With over 68 per cent of the Kingdom’s population under the age of 30, TikTok is embracing digital tools, making it more accessible and open for people to connect, learn and explore interesting content.
Chanida Klyphun, head of public policy for Southeast Asia at TikTok, told attendees at the March workshop that TikTok users should know the importance of understanding community guidelines and online safety.