THE Cambodian government has warned TikTok and other social media users to stop producing "immoral" content.
Its Ministry of Interior's Information Technology Department issued the warning last Wednesday, saying it has observed people using social media platforms acting in violation of the country's laws and Khmer social ethics.
It gave examples of videos with obscene gestures and language, pornographic images, disinformation, defamation and inciting social unrest.
In its Facebook page, the Ministry of Interior's Anti-Cybercrime Department director Lieutenant General Chea Pov appealed to social media users not to share immoral videos.
He said that posting immoral videos would dishonour the nation and affect national security.
"We have warned users many times that it is illegal to edit pictures of other people," Lt Gen Pov said, according to a report in the Khmer Times.
"Users must be careful not to share or comment on immoral videos. We will take legal action if they persist in posting and distributing them."
Gen Pov also urged users to make an effort to look for videos that respect life, encourage knowledge and teach good business practices.
"Immoral videos create drama which could cause harm apart from being illegal," he said.
Ros Sopheap, executive director of Gender and Development of Cambodia (GDC), said that when the Ministry of Interior or the government sees any inappropriate online activity, they can immediately investigate them and decide whether or not to prosecute.
"When the government takes action, the ministry will usually educate people to understand good ethics in order to help develop society and follow the right path," Sopheap said.
TikTok, known in China as Douyin, is a video-sharing social networking service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.
The popular app made headlines last year with India banning it, citing national security.
The United States is also trying to restrict TikTok's operations in the country, with its Commerce Department banning downloads of the app from US app stores.
However, it managed to get an injunction on the order, but the government is appealing it, reports CNN.
The Chinese company has been in the Trump administration's cross hairs for months with President Donald Trump accusing TikTok of posing a national security risk because it could be forced to hand over user data to the Chinese government.
TikTok has denied the claim, saying it stores US user data in Virginia and Singapore – out of the reach of Chinese law.