Cambodian PM considers Facebook ban amidst content moderation controversy
Hun Sen accused Facebook of unfair treatment by failing to take action against extreme language used by his opponents.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is considering banning Facebook in his country, arguing that he receives abusive messages from political opponents on the platform. He has announced a switch to the messaging app Telegram, citing its effectiveness and its usability in countries where Facebook is banned.
The announcement came just before Meta’s content moderation board ordered the removal of a video where Hun Sen threatened his political rivals and recommended a six-month suspension of his Facebook and Instagram accounts. The board overturned Meta’s initial decision to keep the video based on its ‘newsworthiness allowance’ and criticised Hun Sen’s history of human rights violations and his use of social media to amplify threats.
Hun Sen has criticised Facebook for its treatment, claiming unfairness in not taking action against his opponents’ extreme language. Facebook has welcomed the board’s findings and will comply with the decision to remove the video. Concerns about political leaders using social media to incite violence have been raised, as observed in other countries like India and Myanmar.
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