ICAPP Media Forum adopts ‘Phnom Penh Media Statement’

The 7th Meeting of the ICAPP Media Forum concluded with the unanimous adoption of the “Phnom Penh Media Statement,” with focus on galvanising coordination and communication efforts between political parties and representatives of the media.The forum on the side-lines of the 12th General Assembly of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), attended by representatives from 18 political parties and journalists from 15 media outlets, focused on the theme “Fighting Fake News in the Digital Age to Sustain Peace.”

Held on Saturday at the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) Headquarters in Phnom Penh, the discussions highlighted the escalating risks posed by fake news, particularly with the advent of generative AI. Participants called for global measures, including adherence to the UN Code of Conduct for Information Integrity, to address misinformation while safeguarding human rights and freedom of expression.

Established in 2015 in Seoul, South Korea, the ICAPP Media Forum aims to foster collaboration between political parties and the media, promoting collective actions to achieve ICAPP’s vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Asian community.

Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra, in his remarks, emphasised the detrimental impacts of fake news, citing its potential to incite racism, discrimination, social instability, and political distrust, while also disrupting international relations.

“These could result in the deterioration of international relations and places additional pressure on peace and reconciliation efforts,” he said.

The forum’s statement expressed deep concern over the surge of misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms, commonly known as fake news. It identified this phenomenon as a significant contributor to violence, hatred, racism, discrimination, and xenophobia, which have fuelled political and social unrest globally and strained international relations.

“We also believe that fake news is a significant threat to traditional journalism with trusted news sources, by journalists and media outlets that follow strict codes of practice. In this regard, we agreed to focus our future collaboration on jointly developing a set of tools and frameworks to monitor, and effectively deal with wide-spread fake news, which can quickly undermine our efforts to achieve a global vision for peace, stability and human advancement,” it said.

They also noted with concern that developments in generative artificial intelligence (AI), have also expanded the risks of fake news which requires us to continue to focus on anticipating and managing their unforeseen impacts.

“In this regard, we welcomed the United Nations’ initiative to develop a Code of Conduct for information integrity to create a healthier and more inclusive digital space, combatting the spread of fake news while upholding the principles of human rights, freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information,” it added.

In the context of digital transformation and advancing technologies, the statement highlighted the crucial role of media in combating fake news. It emphasised a commitment to leveraging media networks in their respective countries to address misinformation regionally.

Additionally, it extended condolences to journalists worldwide who lost their lives in the line of duty. The statement also reiterated support for ICAPP’s mission to foster an Asian community by promoting peace and reconciliation.