This is not a big surprise. The authorities are already big on social media surveillance online and news censorship. 'Big Brother' is already watching you.

Cambodia plans China-style internet firewall
'National internet gateway' includes 'censorship angle' that alarms NGOs
SHAUN TURTON, Contributing WriterSeptember 2, 2020 16:02 JST

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia's government will route all web traffic through a "national internet gateway" under plans that human rights advocates fear will see critical content blocked by a China-style firewall.

The plans are laid out in a yet-to-be-signed sub-decree drafted in July and obtained by the Nikkei Asian Review.

The document states the national internet gateway will manage internet connections in the country to enhance "national revenue collection," protect "national security" and assure "social order."

The gateway will be managed by a government-appointed operator or operators, who will collaborate with the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia and "relevant authorities."

Among the operator's duties listed in Article 6 of the law is to work with the government to block certain types of content. The operator is "to take actions in blocking and disconnecting all network connections that affect safety, national revenue, social order, dignity, culture, traditions and customs," according to a translation of the law.

Cambodia has seen a rapid increase in web usage in recent years, with internet subscriptions rising from 5 million in 2014 to 16 million last year, according to government statistics. Mobile subscriptions, meanwhile, hit 21 million in 2019.

Cambodia's authoritarian regime, which dissolved the main opposition party in 2017, has moved increasingly to crackdown on online dissent.

More than a dozen people have been arrested, "re-educated" or jailed this year for comments critical of the government made on social media.

Ith Sothoeuth, media director of the Cambodian Center for Independent Media, said the vague language in the national gateway sub-decree left room for many interpretations that could impact freedom of expression.

"They could use it on Facebook, which in Cambodia is almost a substitute for the internet."

The gateway appears similar to a 2015 proposal by the military junta in Thailand that was scrapped after a public backlash.
Full article: https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Cambod ... t-firewall

keep things at the current speeds, problem solved

The internet has been a bastion of freedom. Are those days over, and can we expect it to now evolve into a tool of oppression and control?

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Thu Sep 03, 2020 12:16 am enhance "national revenue collection,"

i think we can see where this is going

Lol, some guy just got arrested a day or two ago for saying AngkorWat is not owned by Khmer. There is no difference in the level of censorship. I mean from TIKTOK seriously, how dafuq did the governor and police chief even see it.

If they appoint a specific operator to manage it, it's a guaranteed bias no matter what they say.

Revenue collection, well this would be fun for so called churches and ngos who purchase 200Mbps lines because they need a lot of speed for their "operation".

This would encourage investors to be more on the cash basis which is usually non-vat , eventually affecting taxation, and invoking another witch hunt for tax evation from the authorities.

techietraveller84 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 03, 2020 2:44 am The internet has been a bastion of freedom. Are those days over, and can we expect it to now evolve into a tool of oppression and control?

Yes. The fun days of the internet are largely over.