In an unprecedented development, the Mauritian government has announced a ban on access to social media platforms ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for November 10. The directive, issued by the national communications regulator, requires access to social media sites to be suspended until November 11, the day after the polls.
The drastic move follows a phone-tapping scandal that rocked the country last month, following the leak of recorded conversations involving politicians, businesspeople and members of civil society on social media. Worryingly, recordings of five well-known journalists were also leaked on social media platforms, fuelling an unprecedented media crisis.
The Indian Ocean island nation, with a population of 1.2 million, is justifying the ban by citing a potential threat to national security. The communications authority has therefore been instructed to suspend access to all social media platforms, in order to counter these threats deemed too significant to be ignored.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Information and Communication Technology Authority said: “The Communication and Information Technology Authority wishes to inform the public that following concerns about illegal publications that pose a serious threat to national security and public safety, it received directives on the evening of October 31, 2024, to order all internet service providers to temporarily suspend access to all social media platforms until November 11, 2024.”
Network service provider EMTEL said it would comply with the directive and that the user experience would be “gradually disrupted”. Despite the obvious inconveniences, the company stressed its obligation to comply with this exceptional measure in order to preserve national security.
In a statement from the Prime Minister’s office, it is stated that this suspension of social media is essential to protect national security and the integrity of the country. A meeting of the crisis committee has also been convened in order to “contain existing risks”.
Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, seeking a second term in power, is at the heart of this media controversy that raises crucial questions about democracy, freedom of expression and national security. Citizens and observers, awaiting the results of the elections, are closely following the evolution of this unprecedented situation that raises both questions and debates about the necessity of such radical measures in a democratic context.