16 hours Ago By Luis Monzon
Mauritius has rolled back its social media ban after one day. On Friday last week, the Mauritius government imposed a sweeping ban on social media sites ahead of the 10th November elections. The ban drew international attention and concern from local business groups.
The government of Mauritius has decided to roll back a sweeping ban that forced internet services providers (ISPs) to cut access to social media websites for users in the country. The ban lasted just over a day and saw citizens of the island nation unable to access social media like X, Facebook, and YouTube while chat platforms were still reportedly available. Initially, the ban was to last until after 11th November 2024 when the Mauritius elections would take place.
The Information & Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) of the country said that it was blocking access in order to “take steps to regulate or curtail the harmful and illegal content on the Internet and other information and communication services” in accordance with sections 18(1)(m) of the ICT act. Reports alleged that the decision to block social media followed a wiretapping scandal in which audio recordings of politicians and other officials were being shared on social media to their detriment and the detriment of the ruling Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) and Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth. According to the latest communication from the ICTA, dated 2nd November, the authority informs the public that its temporary suspension of social media platforms has lifted “following recent developments and in consultation with relevant authorities.
” “This decision follows a comprehensive review of the situation, considering the initial directive issued on 31st October 2024 and subsequent communique released on 1st November,” it wrote. One of Mauritius’ largest private business groups, Business Mauritius, representing over 1 200 companies, said it was concerned at the government’s decision to suspend access to social media. It said that the suspension risked souring the country’s reputation to the wider international community.
The suspension “created shockwaves in the business community and within civil society as a whole.” “Several sectors and activities are already directly and visibly affected, including the tourism sector, call centres, ecommerce operations, education and training, marketing, influencers and any other activity related to the digital economy,” the statement continued. “Economic freedom and respect for democracy remain a sine qua non for investors and for a healthy business climate.
” [Image – CC 0 jorono from Pixabay ].
