4 reasons behind successful Cambodia’s first Youth Internet Governance Forum

Tuesday 3 October 2023
Tepken Vannkorn
5 Minutes Read

The first-ever Cambodia Youth Internet Governance Forum (yIGF) was successfully conducted on 23rd-24th September 2023. This 2-days event took place at the Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology (CADT) in Phnom Penh, the heart of the kingdom with the amount of attendees up to 200.

Following the description on its website yIGF has aimed to raise awareness of youth on Internet governance-related topics and to encourage the young generation to have more active engagement in policy discussion and the decision-making process to understand their role in the future society, as well as to use the Internet in a safe way.

This is one of the most successful tech events in Cambodia due to a number of reasons.

1. Strong commitment from the whole team

The credit for this success goes to the teams, Advisory Committees (AC), Organizing Committees (OC), and Volunteers.

The AC plays a crucial role in navigating the course toward the right path. They brought the event to the country and recruited the OC. The AC also sought sponsorships, communicated with the policymakers, and guided the whole team to complete their tasks effectively in a timely manner.

The OC consists of young and vibrant members who I believe will be the future leaders of this country. (I’m not joking 😉.) The team comprises many skillful people on a variety of topics. They worked as a team and produced a tremendous amount of high-quality work to ensure the event went smoothly and professionally.

Credit also goes to the volunteer team who also worked so hard to contribute to the success of the event.

Before the event, both OC and Volunteers worked days and nights to accomplish their jobs. Some would work with just a few hours of sleep for a number of consecutive days. You may have seen their work right at the event, if you’ve attended, or viewed the website and the social media engagement they have accomplished so far.

2. Inclusiveness

As stated on the website, yIGF is a dynamic and inclusive event that brings together youth, policymakers, industry experts, and civil society. People from various backgrounds came together to discuss Internet Governance, sharing experiences, networking, and learning from one another.

Joining were students, social workers, government officials and policymakers, ethnic groups, people from provinces, NGOs, startups, etc. Besides joining as participants, some of them were volunteers, speakers, speaker coordinators, tech helpers, and MCs.

On top of that, there were speakers from varied institutions as well, including the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), Dot Asia, and more. Speakers were from Hong Kong, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, South Korea and many other countries.

3. The theme

This year’s yIGF proposed a theme of “Digital Empowerment: Ensuring Access, Safety, and Opportunities for All” with three other sub-themes, such as the Introduction to AI, Digital Rights and Online Responsibility, and Cybersecurity and Data Privacy. Every topic proposed by the speaker must match these sub-themes.

AI-related topics, digital rights and online responsibility-related topics, and cybersecurity-related topics are trending in today’s Cambodian society. People from all backgrounds are interested in AI and how it works, while individuals and NGOs are way more concerned about peoples’ ‘digital footprint’ and privacy leaks online, especially those who are working in areas of Child Protection.

I presented “The foundation of Web Security”

Attendees were interested in securing themselves on the internet by learning new tips from experts like Chumrum Digital and other cyber security experts.

Besides the breakout sessions, there were ‘Phum yIGF’ and ‘Multi-Stakeholder Conference’ roleplays where all participants were required to attend and learn something.

Phum yIGF happened on the first day of the event where all people were encouraged to find out about digital currency–in this case Crypto Currency, the NFTs, and how the market fluctuates according to other side effects such as Hacking and Internet/Electricity interruptions. This session helped participants understand the risk of their investment in the market.

Srymanit and I were the Crypto currency sellers (role play)

The Multi-Stakeholder conference roleplay took place on the second day where some groups of participants were assigned a role to debate amongst each other. There were so-called ‘The Government Group’, the ‘Private Sector Group’, and the ‘Netizen Group’.

Each group was given enough time to meet and prepare their questions and responses to other groups’ questions. The debate went well and the result from it was encouraging. The session was concluded by Mr. Thy Try, the executive director of Open Development Cambodia (ODC) who noted he had learned new tips from that debate and promised to bring them into the policy-making process with other stakeholders.

The team representing the government meeting before the Multi-Stakeholder conference

4. Engagement from all parties

The event would not have been successful without the AC, OC, Volunteers, Speakers, and Participants. People were vibrantly communicating with one another during the session, the break, and even after the event.

In my observations, people have made new friends, gained new knowledge, and raised new awareness of the current challenges in the digital sphere. Students may have good jobs through their extended network after graduation. Companies may gain more projects from potential stakeholders they met at the event.

Another takeaway point is the Personal Data Protection law that is still under discussion amongst all stakeholders. I strongly believe that after the discussion, the law will gain more input and will be issued pretty soon. Since I will attend the Annual Meeting of the 18th Internet Government Forum in Kyoto, Japan next week, I’m more than happy to share my own input with what I will learn from the event via any means possible.

All participants after the closing ceremony

To conclude, I believe Cambodia’s yIGF 2023 would bring hope to every Cambodian citizen that they’d live in a safer world in the Industrial Revolution 4.0. It means they will be more cautious of what data they will share online and how much they should share, what links on the Internet are harmful and they will learn to use means that protect themselves from any cyber-attack. Furthermore, they will be aware of the trending AI technologies around them and they will learn to adapt. This will enable them to always be up-to-date with the job market.

Without the help from ODC, I don’t think this kind of fruitful event can take place. I strongly hope ODC as well as other stakeholders will consider having yIGF repeat next year and every year.

Cambodia YIGF’s First Debate Brings Spotlight On Internet Governance

Saturday 29 July 2023
Meas Molika
Events

The Cambodia YIGF’s friendly debate debut brings the spotlight on ‘Internet Governance’ by bringing the internet aspects to be heard among youths and the public since internet governance is still a new topic in Cambodia.On July 28, the Cambodia Youth Internet Governance Forum (Cambodia YIGF) committees initiated the first friendly debate regarding internet governance topics to engage youths in the internet discussion. The very first debate program was joined by four main teams from two different universities: the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL) of the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) and Paragon International University, with three members each. The Fancy Cookies team, Miyoshi Yumilinda, and Soun Ratana Somany, from IFL represented the government side, and the InExp team, Lovely Long, Elite Ek, and Chamroeun Chakri Chhoeung, from Paragon University, represented the opposition side. They debated the first motion, “This house believes youths should have a greater role in Internet Governance”.And for the second motion, “This house advocates for the inclusion of digital literacy programs in school curricula to promote online responsibility and empower individuals to navigate the digital landscape safely and ethically,” the e-Ninjas team, Nin Sreyleap, Kem Bunheang and Tith Mayana Khieu, from Paragon University, characterized the government-side debate between the opposition side from the Teletubbies team, Sros Sreyneang, Vong Daly, and Prom Menglong from IFL. The Cambodia YIGF Advisory Chhit Kanika remarked about how significant it is to understand more about Internet Governance in the digital age, and by initiating the first debate related to internet governance among youths, we will help foster youth engagement and awareness as well as the public’s through debating platforms. “In this era, where the internet basically involves our lives like ordering food, shopping, and dating, it is very important for everybody to understand the internet governance and also internet security in order to seize the opportunity and also identify the endangerment of the internet in the technology world.” Kanika said. She believed that throughout the debate session, participants would be able to learn more about internet governance from the debaters and be encouraged to engage with both oppositional and supportive arguments in order to get to know more about what internet governance is, especially for those who had never heard about it before. “And I hope that by the end of this first friendly debate, we will at least find some solutions to our problems and our misunderstandings related to these topics,” She added. At the end of the debate, the judges brought up some good advice for youth debaters and motivated them to keep learning and expanding their skills like researching, critical thinking, and body language. However, the judges all admired their debating skills. As they can come up with many impressive ideas regarding internet matters with data and dive deep into the solutions while debating on stage confidently, even internet governance is a new topic for them. The winner of the first motion went to the opposition side, the InExp team from Paragon University, and the winner of the second motion went to the opposition side, the Teletubbies team from IFL.

Internet use in Cambodia

Saturday 29 July 2023
Meas Molika, Houth Morokoth
Digital Literacy

The rise of internet usage in Cambodia is a sign of a digital revolution on a wider scale in different sectors for economic growth and digital lifestyle. However, regulation to better manage the internet and improvements in security and transparency in accessing the internet are needed to gain the full potential of the internet in an inclusive way.At the beginning of 2023, there were 11.37 million internet users in Cambodia, with a total of 22.16 million cellular mobile connections active, equivalent to 131.5 percent of the total population, according to Digital 2023: Cambodia. Cambodian internet users started to increase significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic with the demand for online purchasing and online learning, according to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.E-commerceCambodian citizens found new ways of living more conveniently while beginning to adapt to the usage of digital money transactions through bank accounts instead of cash during the pandemic. This led to a boom in the e-commerce sector in Cambodia. Online selling and buying via social media apps, food delivery apps, school, healthcare, electricity, and water payments are also done digitally via QR codes. Payment begins to feel at ease, saving time and energy with your smartphone and with just a connection to the internet or Wi-Fi.According to Statista, Revenue in the e-commerce market is projected to reach US$979.90m in 2023. In the e-commerce market, the number of users is expected to amount to 8.76 million by 2027. The cyber law and e-commerce law to manage and protect consumers are needed to better govern the safety and security of the online market in Cambodia. However, online buying fraud, online money scamming, hacking, and data protection are the issues when it comes to online purchases.TourismThe findings show that there is a correlation when taking and planning tips; tourists consider the functionalities of social media as significant.Next, the most frequent source of information used by respondents when planning travel and trips is often social media (43.6%). The second most popular is family and friends (43.6%), of which the respondents often use their family or friends as their source of information. Also, mobile App sites (35.6%) are often used as the third source with tourism information (35.0%) as the last source, based on research about the \"Effect of Social Media in Tourism (Case in Cambodia)\".Therefore, social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, including Google search information and recommendations online for traveling destinations, are playing a crucial role in guiding and allowing tourists to access more information regarding their favorable traveling places in the country.Online EducationAccording to the Kiripost’s article (2023), the pandemic has led to a significant increase in online education in Cambodia, with at least three students enrolled in online courses. This has created great opportunities for online education businesses to enter the Cambodian market, with regional income from online education is projected to reach $1,485 million in 2022 and $2,555 million by 2026. However, a survey found that 78% of students prefer hybrid learning, while 14% prefer online education.According to a report by the Cambodian Education Forum (2021), online learning has revolutionized the way students learn, particularly in higher education by allowing access to technology tools, digital platforms, and the Internet. The official MoEYS Facebook page, YouTube channel, and other e-learning platforms offer over 200 video lessons, allowing students to access online learning anytime and anywhere. This innovative method of learning saves money and time, making higher education more hybrid and transformative on a global scale. Digital education has also supported the development of competency-based teaching strategies, as UNESCO states that teachers receiving high-quality support, including new teaching approaches, learning activities, and hygienic supplies, ensure continuous education for learners (Cambodianess, 2020).Social Media & EntertainmentCambodia’s entertainment industry is transforming to digital platforms and social media such as Youtube, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram. Music videos, news, and a variety of content go online.Cambodia’s digital media market was valued at $74.87 million in 2022, a 17 percent growth from 2021. Video games make up the largest segment, worth $38.7 million in 2022, a 16.5 rise from 2021. Digital music revenue in 2022 was valued at $6.5 million, capturing only nine percent of the market share.Since the Internet is used widely and productively in various sectors in Cambodia, such as e-commerce, tourism, education, and entertainment. Safety and security with inclusive use of the internet are necessary to ensure everyone can obtain the opportunity and benefits of digital tools without harm or scams via cyberspace. Digital Government Infrastructure and Cyber Security are key strategic thrusts to ensure the quality, efficiency, and security of networks in the Kingdom.

My APrIGF 2023 Fellow Experience

Sunday 17 September 2023
Heng Soklay
Events

I am honored to be selected as one of the fellows for the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) held in Brisbane, Australia from 29th to 31st August 2023. The conference brings together a diverse group of people sharing different backgrounds, including youths, researchers, policymakers, and others, to collaborate and discuss Internet issues happening in the Asia Pacific region. This highlights the importance of multistakeholder approach to shape our digital space and Internet world.This year, it\'s noteworthy that the APrIGF, NetThing, Pacific IGF, and yIGF events were hosted concurrently at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. The overarching theme for this year’s conference is “Emerging Technologies – Is Asia Pacific Ready for the Next Phase of the Internet?” with an emphasis on three main themes, access & inclusion, sustainability, and trust. In a world where technology is evolving rapidly, this forum pushed us to question our readiness, our strategies, and our ethical frameworks. Various interesting topics were discussed, such as data privacy and protection, AI ethics, cybersecurity, human rights, online child protection, digital inclusion and connectivity, policies and regulations, and many others.Day 0: Capacity building for fellows and newcomersBefore the official kick-off of the event, fellows and newcomers were invited to a capacity-building session. We were introduced to Internet governance and the multi-stakeholder model. The orientation helps to ensure that all attendees are welcomed, informed, and equipped with the knowledge necessary to actively participate in the forthcoming discussions in the following days, and everyone is open to raising their voices to shape the future of the Internet during the conference.We had an opportunity to stand up, introduce ourselves, and share our interests in Internet issues. It was enlightening to hear from such a diverse group, each bringing their unique perspective about Internet governance to the room. I also had the enriching experience of attending the APAC Youth Leaders Dialogue hosted by yIGF, which provided insights into how can the youth meaningfully contribute to Internet governance discussions and initiate local Internet governance in their home country. I also had the opportunity to discuss with the IGF secretariat. The discussion was not just about gaining knowledge but also about seeking advice, sharing concerns, and envisioning pathways for youth participation in the development of Internet policy.Day 1“Policy development on generative AI based on Biometrics & Weaponizing Information Bubbles” is one of the sessions I attended on the first day.The session is about the challenges we\'re facing with new AI technologies, especially the ones that create super realistic, yet fake content. The concerns around advanced AI technologies include voice synthesis that can mimic anyone\'s voice, deepfakes which can produce convincing videos of individuals doing or saying things they haven\'t, and even the ability to replicate unique identifiers such as fingerprints, and many more. Such advancements, powered by AI tools, blur the lines between reality and deceit. The session highlighted the importance of reflecting on why we use these technologies and what we hope to achieve with them. With AI\'s ability to generate almost real content, distinguishing genuine from fake is becoming a challenge.A significant concern raised was about AI\'s potential to disseminate false information widely and rapidly. But what\'s even more challenging is that our laws and regulations aren\'t adapted quickly enough to these technological advancements. This session raises our awareness of the need to exploit new technologies, understanding, and an emphasis on ethical use.Day 2In addition to the insightful sessions on Internet-related issues happening simultaneously on day 2, all the fellows had the opportunity to present their selected topics related to Internet issues within their buddy groups. It was an enriching learning experience to listen to the diverse perspectives everyone brought to the stage on Internet governance.I had a unique and new experience working with my buddy, Eshaq. Collaborating with someone who has a disability gives me insight into the challenges he is facing in relation to Internet governance. His perspective taught me that as technology is advancing, there is often a concerning oversight - the lack of prioritization and inclusion for underprivileged groups. Therefore, we decided to give a talk centered around the theme of “Inclusion.” Our primary goal was to emphasize the importance of inclusivity in today\'s digital world, ensuring that no one gets left behind as technology continues to evolve.Day 3On day 3, I had a chance to step up to the microphone during the Town Hall session to share my insights and to contribute to the Synthesis Document input – a collection of views and concerns about Internet governance in the Asia Pacific region. This document will be presented for further discussion at the Global IGF this October in Kyoto. The questions related to the three main themes are open for both online and onsite participants to share their thoughts.Access and InclusionDo emerging technologies bridge or widen the pre-existing digital divide in the Asia Pacific?How do they impact human rights, and how should policies respond?How can we ensure their affordability and equitable benefits?TrustHow can trust in the Internet, its infrastructure, and governance be strengthened?How can we balance trust and privacy? How can we ensure transparency, accountability and fairness in emerging technologies?How do we promote trust in complex, unfamiliar technologies?SustainabilityHow can new technologies support a sustainable Internet?How do we encourage sustainable development with these technologies?How do they contribute to an equitable future?Social EventsAttending the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) was not just a learning experience, but a golden opportunity to network with like-minded individuals passionate about Internet governance. We discussed the challenges and best practices related to Internet issues in our respective countries and region. Our fruitful and informal discussions led to further collaboration to work on Internet governance activities in our country.Photo by APNICTo everyone I had the pleasure of interacting with during APrIGF 2023, I extend my heartfelt gratitude. Your insights and experiences help me learn a lot, and come back with many new ideas. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my mentor, Dr. Shabbir, as well as DotAsia and sponsors for granting me the opportunity to participate in this insightful conference and make significant impacts and success in the region. I am looking forward to further collaboration for a better and sustainable Internet world. Please mark your calendars for two upcoming Internet governance events:Cambodia Youth Internet Governance Forum: Scheduled for 23rd to 24th October 2023 at the Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology.18th Annual Meeting of the Internet Governance Forum: Scheduled for 8th to 12th October 2023 at Kyoto.