Paper Title
Internet Use in Cambodia: A Media Dependency Theory Perspective

Abstract
This paper applies Media system dependency theory (MSD) to examine Internet Use in Cambodia. We observed the phenomena of Internet Use through the e-commerce activities and a field study were conducted. By interviewing Internet users, we found that the use behaviors are different from most of the users of developed/developing countries where Internet infrastructure is well-established. In Cambodia, wireless network is adopted and Facebook is a major social media that is widely accepted by users for communication, marketing, and identity shaping. Through the lens of MSD, we are able to look the Internet/social media use from a media perspective where media plays the role of fulfilling user’s needs of surveillance, social utility, and fantasy-escape. The social background of Cambodia is unique, as such, the media use behavior is completely different from what is observed in western countries and we conclude few unintended consequences of Internet use which go beyond the scope of our knowledge. Keywords - Internet, Cambodia, e-commerce, Media Dependency Theory, Facebook