PHNOM PENH — Fifty young Cambodians gathered in the Cambodian capital on September 29 with a shared mission: to equip their communities with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate an increasingly hostile digital landscape. The one-day workshop, organized by the APNIC Foundation and Open Development Cambodia (ODC), brought together university students, recent graduates, and young professionals to develop practical solutions for problems ranging from AI-generated scams and Khmer-language misinformation to online safety for vulnerable groups. As Cambodia experiences rapid growth in internet and smartphone use, the risks have expanded far beyond simple email phishing. Criminal syndicates and opportunistic fraudsters are now using sophisticated deepfakes, AI-generated voice messages, and manipulated video clips to trick ordinary citizens. The workshop was designed not merely as a training session but as a problem-solving laboratory, with participants challenged to create responses that could be deployed in schools, villages, and urban neighbourhoods. Their proposals addressed online protection for older residents and rural communities, improved access to learning for students with limited connectivity, and responsible AI practices in universities. In a country where social media platforms have become primary sources of news for millions, the ability to tell fact from fabrication has become a matter of public safety. The urgency is particularly acute in the Khmer language, where automated detection tools remain less developed than in English, leaving Cambodian users more exposed to manipulated media. By bringing together a diverse group of young people, the organisers hoped to seed a generation of digital defenders who could translate technical knowledge into locally relevant action.
The participants were not passive attendees. They worked in teams to identify the most pressing problems affecting Cambodian communities and then proposed concrete interventions. One team focused on the dangers facing older citizens and rural residents, who are often less familiar with the warning signs of online fraud. They proposed a series of community-based awareness campaigns using simple, clear Khmer explanations and visual guides that could be shared through pagodas, village chiefs, and local radio stations. Another team turned its attention to students with limited internet connectivity, a persistent barrier to education in Cambodia’s poorer provinces. Their solution involved designing low-bandwidth learning materials and offline-ready resources that could be distributed through schools and community centres, ensuring that the digital divide did not become a permanent educational disadvantage. A third group looked inward, examining how universities themselves should approach artificial intelligence. They recommended clear academic policies on the use of AI tools, mandatory training in digital literacy, and the creation of student-led ethics committees that could review how AI is deployed on campus. The exercise was intended to move beyond abstract discussion. Each team had to think through the risks and limitations of its proposal, acknowledging that technology is not a silver bullet and that any solution must account for human behaviour, cultural context, and the reality of limited resources. This emphasis on critical evaluation was a deliberate choice by the organisers, who wanted to instil a mindset of responsible innovation rather than blind adoption of the latest digital tools.
The workshop curriculum covered a broad range of threats, including phishing, account takeovers, deepfakes, and scams that use AI-generated voices or videos. These are not theoretical risks. Across Southeast Asia, criminals have used voice-cloning technology to impersonate family members in distress, demanding urgent money transfers. They have created fake videos of politicians, business leaders, and even aid workers to spread disinformation or manipulate public opinion. In Cambodia, where trust in personal relationships is high, such attacks can be particularly effective. Participants learned how to protect their own online accounts, with trainers emphasising the importance of multi-factor authentication as a first line of defence. They were also taught how to respond to a security incident: how to secure a compromised account, how to alert contacts, and how to report fraudulent content to platforms. The training did not stop at individual protection. Participants were encouraged to think about the wider ecosystem, including the role of social media companies in moderating content and the need for stronger legal frameworks to deter cybercrime. By the end of the session, many said they felt better prepared not only to defend themselves but also to teach others. This multiplier effect is central to the organisers’ strategy, as young people are often best placed to reach family members, peers, and communities where official safety messaging struggles to penetrate.
Aftab Siddiqui, the APNIC Foundation’s head of stakeholder relations, highlighted the importance of young people developing an understanding of both the uses and the limits of AI-generated content. “Building that capability means combining effective use of AI with verification, critical evaluation and appropriate human oversight,” he said. His comments underscored a key theme of the workshop: artificial intelligence is neither good nor bad by itself. It is a tool that can be used to improve education, health care, and government services, but it can also be weaponised to deceive and defraud. The challenge for societies like Cambodia is to build the skills and institutions needed to maximise the benefits of AI while minimising the harms. ODC executive director Thy Try echoed that sentiment, noting that digital skills, responsible AI use, and cybersecurity were becoming essential for young Cambodians. He said young people needed the confidence to help shape how emerging technologies are used, rather than simply reacting to changes imposed by outside forces. This theme of agency was evident throughout the day. Participants were not treated as passive recipients of expert knowledge. They were treated as active problem-solvers whose ideas could influence policy, shape institutional practices, and protect vulnerable members of their communities. The organisers made clear that the solutions developed during the workshop were not intended to be left on the drawing board, but were meant to be refined, piloted, and scaled with the support of partners and mentors.
The workshop was held under the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity’s Young Professionals and Students programme, an initiative designed to engage the next generation of ICT leaders in regional policy discussions. It was delivered with cybersecurity organisation ISC2 as a knowledge partner, as well as with support from the Australian government. This institutional backing gave the event a degree of credibility and access that extended beyond a typical one-day training. Participants were connected with representatives from the ICT sector, universities, government ministries, and development organisations, many of whom remained involved after the workshop as potential mentors and collaborators. The involvement of ISC2, a global nonprofit dedicated to cybersecurity training and certification, helped ensure that the content met international standards. The Australian government’s support reflected a broader regional commitment to building cyber resilience in the Indo-Pacific, where disinformation and online fraud have become tools of economic and political instability. For Cambodia, the partnership represents an opportunity to bridge the gap between civil society and official institutions. Open Development Cambodia, which hosted the event, has long worked to make data and information publicly available, and this workshop aligned with its mission to promote transparency and civic participation. By focusing on young people, the organisers acknowledged that sustainable change must come from within, driven by the generation that will inherit the consequences of today’s digital decisions.
At the end of the day, the fifty participants left with more than just certificates and contact details. They left with a clearer sense of the role they can play in shaping Cambodia’s digital future. The solutions they developed, from community education campaigns to university AI policies, are small but meaningful steps toward a more resilient society. However, the organisers were careful to frame the workshop as a beginning, not an end. Digital threats evolve quickly, and the skills that work today may be obsolete tomorrow. That is why the emphasis was placed on critical thinking, continuous learning, and collaboration, rather than any single technology or platform. The challenge now is to sustain the momentum. Participants will need ongoing support, funding, and political space to test their ideas in the real world. Universities, companies, and government agencies all have a role to play in creating an environment where young people can experiment, fail, and try again. The APNIC Foundation and Open Development Cambodia have indicated that they intend to follow up on the outcomes of the workshop, potentially through future events, mentoring programmes, or seed grants. In a region where AI-driven disinformation is becoming increasingly sophisticated, the investment in human capacity is arguably more important than any technical solution. The fifty young Cambodians who gathered in Phnom Penh are part of a growing movement of digital citizens who refuse to be passive consumers of the internet. They are learning, building, and leading, and in doing so, they are helping to ensure that the promise of the digital age is not undermined by the dangers that lurk within it.
