A Free and Open Internet in Cambodia

William E. Todd is U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

I would like to begin my column by first expressing my heartfelt condolences to the families of people involved in a severe traffic accident in Svay Rieng Province earlier this week.  Upon returning to Cambodia from my reverse trade mission in the United States, I was saddened to hear news about this tragedy that took the lives of 19 people and injured others.  The victims and their loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers.  We hope that this will serve as a reminder of the need to improve road safety and strengthen the traffic management system in Cambodia.

Changing subjects, I was happy to see that last week’s column generated so much interest and commentary.  My statements about the draft NGO law, and the subsequent reaction, received wide coverage in the media and on the web, much of it positive but some of it negative.  All of this indicates to me that there is great public interest on the status and timing of the draft NGO law and recognition of the importance of public dialogue on this topic.  Because discussion and dialogue are key to a democratic society, in my view all opinions should be welcomed.  I firmly believe that working together to debate and discuss important topics like this can only strengthen the final result.  I would like to thank everyone who helped to bring even more attention to this important issue, and I look forward to continued discussion in the days and weeks to come.

One reason that last week’s article had such an impact is the power of the Internet.  The Internet is a powerful communication tool that has completely revolutionized the way that we engage with the Cambodian people. I would like to thank everyone for helping us approach 500,000 fans on the Embassy’s Facebook page, a remarkable milestone that demonstrates the growth of social media in Cambodia.  In fact, it was one of our Facebook fans that sent in this week’s question: “What do you think would happen if all Cambodians had access to the Internet?”

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications expects the Internet penetration rate – the percentage of the population that has access to the Internet – to reach up to 65 percent by the year 2020.  This is a sign of both the growing demand for the Internet among the public as well as ongoing efforts from the government, private sector, and civil society to address this demand.  When I began my service as the U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, the country’s Internet penetration rate was less than 5 percent and the U.S. Embassy Facebook page had just over 25,000 fans.Today, the Internet penetration rate is more than 30 percent thanks in large part to the growth of social media and the use of mobile phones.  The number of mobile phone subscribers in Cambodia topped 20 million in 2013 – which means there are five million more mobile phone subscriptions than there are people in Cambodia.

All this is great news for Cambodia’s economy, its growth as a democracy, and the potential for improving the daily lives of all the country’s people.  When the Internet becomes available to all in Cambodia, its citizens will receive a number of social, political, and economic benefits.  As we have already seen both here and in other developing countries around the world, access to information from the Internet improves the overall quality of life by empowering people with the ability to make informed decisions.The Internet also offers opportunities for sustainable development; several experts now regard the access to, awareness of, and use of information and communication technologies as a basic component of life in developed nations.  The bridging of this global “digital divide” is critical to Cambodia’s growth and competitiveness in the region and the world.

Access to information is crucial for any democracy.  During Cambodia’s national elections in 2013, voters were able to access various news sources and information about the political environment via the Internet.  Citizens become more engaged in the democratic process when they feel that they can make informed decisions and that their voices are being heard.  Therefore, the Internet – especially a wide range of social media platforms– now plays a major role in generating political discussion during an election campaign and beyond.  Cambodia’s leaders have some of the most popular Facebook pages in Cambodia, using social media to disseminate knowledge of their political parties’ platforms and discuss important issues with the public.The public is attracted to social media because it enables two-way dialogue and fosters citizen activism, as demonstrated by the recent creation of the #StopandConsult hashtag on Twitter.  When allowed to be used freely, social media is a powerful tool for soliciting ideas and getting feedback on the issues that matter most to Cambodians, particularly with young people.

As highlighted during my reverse trade mission in the United States with Minister Sun Chanthol, the Internet is also rapidly transforming global trade and driving economic growth.  The openness of the Internet –the ability for data to flow across its networks and for users to access content – is critical to maintaining the steady economic growth that we have seen in Cambodia in the past decade.  A number of studies have researched some of the economic benefits of the Internet:job growth, the reduction of barriers to market entry and access, increases in productivity, and the reduction of extreme poverty.A World Bank report showed that a 10 percent increase in the Internet penetration rate could lead to a 1.38 percent growth of the GDP.Small and medium enterprises show a 10 percent increase in productivity by using the Internet.It is crucial that steps are taken today to foster innovation and keep Internet technology vibrant.  Given its vital role in the country’s future development, the inclusion of information and communication technology (ICT) in Cambodia’s 2014-2018 National Strategic Development Plan is a positive sign.

While most of the discourse regarding ICT in Cambodia is linked to political and economic development, the Internet provides many societal benefits as well.  In education, more Cambodian students – especially those who are learning English –are using the Internet to research information and complete assignments, while instructors are discovering alternative teaching methods through virtual classrooms and long-distance education.  Greater Internet access can also aid Cambodia’s health sector, as better information for both patients and healthcare professionals helps reduce the prevalence of disease, improve health behaviors, and accelerate the delivery of medical services.  The Internet and its numerous applications promote and facilitate social inclusion, enabling individuals and organizations to be a part of society’s political, economic, and social activities.  From thousands of young people using Twitter to encourage American superstar Demi Lovato to come to Phnom Penh for a free concert, to members of President Obama’s Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) using the Internet to address environmental issues in the region; today, Cambodians recognize the power of the Internet and its ability to bring people together to fulfill a shared purpose.

To see a truly free and open Internet in Cambodia, a number of challenges will need to be addressed.Although there has been significant progress, infrastructure limitations such as insufficient electricity for stable connectivity and slow Internet speeds continue to constrain the ease of using the internet in Cambodia, especially in rural areas.  The availability of lower-cost mobile technology has greatly increased the number of Internet users; however, many Cambodians still lack the economic means or sufficient knowledge to realize the full potential that today’s internet offers.  And while companies like Google have provided a means to translate and transcribe online information in the Khmer language, accessing the vast majority of content on the Internet requires knowledge of English.

With Internet usage continuing to expand in Cambodia, it is essential that freedom of expression and the open exchange of ideas are valued and protected.  As shown in the Licadho’s recent report on Internet freedom, there is clearly a lot of concern among civil society members regarding the draft cyber-crime law and the law on telecommunications.  The Cambodian government has stated that laws are already in place which focus on cyber-security, so it is understandable that many people do not see the need for an additional law or simply want to know what changes a new law might bring.  In remembering the Internet’s many benefits, I hope that the country’s leaders are committed to the preservation of reliable, secure, and open platforms for online freedoms of expression and association.

In closing, the United States stands ready to work with Cambodia and the world to eliminate barriers to a free and open Internet for all.  Recognizing the power of social media, President Obama opened a personal Twitter account this week, breaking a Guinness World Record for the fastest to reach one million followers but also receiving a number of negative remarks, slurs, and even threats.  And yet, he did not choose to delete his page or place restrictions on users.  Why would the President respond in such a manner?  As Secretary of State John Kerry said earlier this week in his speech about international cyber security, “Repression does not eliminate the speech we hate.  It just forces it into other avenues – avenues that often can become more dangerous than the speech itself that people are fighting.”

I would like to again thank you for reading my column this and every week.  Feel free to send me questions in English or Khmer at AskAMBToddPP@state.govand follow my blog at http://blogs.usembassy.gov/todd/.

William E. Todd is U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia.