The sitting US administration is set to spend thousands in US tax dollars to educate youth in Cambodia on how to “stop the spread of misinformation” on the internet, according to a federal grant listing reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The U.S. Department of State, through the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia, will hand one U.S. or Cambodian group up to $20,000 “to develop, organize, and oversee” the training program, with the possibility of more awards, according to the listing.
The group would teach youth in rural areas with Facebook access as well as those 18 to 35 who are educated in urban areas through misinformation “workshops” for a period of three to six months.
“Unethical news sites, paid bloggers, and sophisticated videos masquerading as legitimate news have found fertile ground on Facebook in Cambodia,” the listing says. “The project will help young Cambodians to ‘Stop, Reflect, and Verify’ before sharing information online.”
Republican South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman is however up in arms against this act by saying “Our nation is $30 trillion in debt,” Look at the actual text in this grant, and explain to me why U.S. taxpayers are now responsible for funding programs to teach people in Cambodia (of all places) how to vet information they see on Facebook?”
Cambodia, which has a population of more than 17 million, is located in southeast Asia. The country operates under a constitutional monarchy and has received $3 billion from the U.S. government in foreign aid over the last 30 years, according to the State Department.
The State Department’s program aims to “increase respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,” according to the listing. The entity handed the funds would conduct in-person workshops at universities, translate English materials to Khmer and “amplify” the program on social media.
Countering “misinformation” has remained a priority of the state department, which the DCNF reported is also spending up to $100,000 flying in Africans to teach them how to fight it. The Cambodian grant derives from fiscal year 2022 Public Diplomacy Funding. Daily Caller News Foundation
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