A national awareness campaign aimed at promoting the responsible use of social media and addressing online abuse, cyberbullying and the spread of false information was launched on 06 November 2026. The initiative seeks to encourage safer online behaviour and raise public awareness of the consequences of harmful activities on digital platforms.

The campaign was announced by the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, Dr Avinash Ramtohul, during a press conference organised by the Ministry, in collaboration with the Information and Communication Technologies Authority, at SICOM Tower in Ebène.

Dr Ramtohul highlighted the growing incidence of cyber-related offences in Mauritius. According to figures from the Computer Emergency Response Team of Mauritius (CERT-MU), 5,754 cyber incidents were reported between 01 January and 05 November 2026, representing an average of nearly 19 incidents daily.

These included 1,697 cases of online harassment, 761 cases of cyberbullying, 723 cases of scams and fraud, 603 reports of fake news, 438 cases of identity theft, 225 cases of sextortion and 61 cases involving child exploitation and abuse.

The Minister stressed that social media should remain a space for communication and freedom of expression instead of being used to harass, intimidate or exploit others. He clarified that the campaign is not intended to restrict freedom of expression or legitimate criticism, but to address online behaviour that violates the rights of others.

Regarding measures to strengthen online safety, Dr Ramtohul indicated that Government is pursuing a cooperation framework with Meta, which operates Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The framework aims to establish dedicated communication channels, accelerate responses to serious cases of online abuse, facilitate content removal and preserve digital evidence. Technical assistance and training for CERT-MU and law enforcement authorities are also envisaged. According to the Minister, the framework is expected to be operational within the next six months.

Government is also working on amendments to the Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Act 2021, which have been submitted to the Attorney-General's Office for vetting. New regulations under the Information and Communication Technologies Act are also being considered to strengthen online protection for children and young people.

Proposed measures, subject to discussions with Meta, include a default daily screen-time limit of two hours for teenagers, a School Mode restricting notifications between 08 00 hrs and 15 00 hrs on school days, and a Sleep Mode blocking notifications between midnight and 06 00 hrs.

Dr Ramtohul also highlighted the importance of protecting victims of online abuse, particularly women affected by the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. In this context, Government is exploring cooperation with Stop Non-Consensual Intimate Image Abuse, an initiative aimed at preventing the circulation of intimate images without consent on participating digital platforms. Support and reporting mechanisms for victims are also expected to be strengthened.

To facilitate the reporting of cyber incidents, a dedicated Cyber Incident Call Centre, staffed by trained personnel, will soon be established. The Minister explained that it would complement the existing Mauritian Cybercrime Online Reporting System, administered by CERT-MU, which enables the public to report cybercrimes for assessment and referral to the relevant authorities.

Beyond these measures, Dr Ramtohul stressed that promoting responsible social media use also required collective effort. He urged parents to remain attentive to their children's online activities, encouraged young people to recognise the dangers of cyberbullying and exploitation, and called on all users to verify information before sharing it and act responsibly online. He emphasised that while disagreement was part of democracy, abuse and intimidation should never be normalised.

10 November 2026

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Topics: Information Technology, Innovation, Media