March 22, 2024
Phnom Penh – A new report from the ASEAN Foundation finds that 30% of Cambodia’s population has basic media and digital literacy skills, while 67.5% has access to the internet.
The report, released on March 20, found that despite rapid adoption of digital technologies, the Kingdom still faces a significant digital literacy gap.
“Although Internet and mobile phone penetration rates are high [67.5 per cent have internet access]only 30% of Cambodians have basic media and digital literacy skills,” the foundation said in a March 20 press release.
The report highlights that ethnic minority groups are particularly challenged as they have limited digital skills and sources of reliable information, exacerbating the digital divide.
Research shows that while 62.2% of the population exhibits high critical thinking skills, education plays an important role in determining Cambodians’ ability to process information effectively.
The findings highlight the need for tailor-made digital literacy programs to address the diverse needs of Cambodian communities, explaining that this will enable them to fully benefit from the digital economy while effectively countering misinformation.
The report highlights that ASEAN member states vary widely in their levels of critical thinking and privacy protection capabilities. Notably, Thailand has the lowest proportion of people with high critical thinking skills at 25%, while neighboring Cambodia has an impressive 62.2%.
The report added that the Philippines lags behind in terms of privacy protection capabilities, with only 17.42% having high capabilities, while Singapore excels with 54.37%.
The ASEAN Foundation, with support from Google.org, the philanthropic arm of tech giant Google, released the survey results during the “ASEAN Regional Symposium: Insights into Digital Literacy in the Region” held on March 20 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Titled “One Divide or Many Divides?” the study explores the digital engagement of poor communities in ASEAN.
It examines their experiences, knowledge, skills and responses to disinformation to build a baseline understanding of the role of digital literacy in identifying and countering disinformation within these communities.
ASEAN Foundation Executive Director Piti Srisangnam explained that the foundation had invited multiple strategic stakeholders to discuss the report and its findings, adding that the report involved quantitative surveys and qualitative data collection from all 10 ASEAN member states.
“We are presenting it at this workshop so that attendees can hear insights and suggestions from each member state and have in-depth discussions with researchers from our countries,” he said.
“We hope this research will help bridge the digital divide in the ASEAN region and create a more inclusive and secure digital space,” he added.
Marija Ralic, head of Asia Pacific for Google.org, noted that Google supports the foundation’s efforts to provide people in the region with important media literacy skills.
“Our commitment to promoting digital security is perfectly aligned with the ASEAN Foundation’s mission to empower ASEAN communities through digital literacy. This will help build a digitally resilient ASEAN,” he said.