The government of Mauritius is considering new measures to limit social media use among teenagers. Dr. Avinash Ramtohul, Minister of Information, Communication and Innovation, announced several initiatives aimed at protecting young people from the dangers of the digital world. These measures include a daily two-hour limit on social media use for teenagers, which would be activated by default. The minister made the announcement during a press conference held on November 6 at Ebène.
The proposed measures also include the introduction of "School Mode" and "Sleep Mode". "School Mode" would limit notifications between 8am and 3pm on school days, while "Sleep Mode" would block notifications between midnight and 6am to preserve young people's sleep. These ideas are currently being discussed with Meta and have not yet been implemented. The minister emphasized that the government will follow the country's laws and procedures before implementing these measures.
According to the CERT-MU, 5,754 cyber incidents have been reported in Mauritius between January 1 and November 5, 2026. This represents nearly 19 incidents per day. The incidents include 1,697 cases of online harassment, 761 cases of cyberbullying, 723 cases of scams and fraud, and 603 reports of false information. The authorities have also recorded 438 cases of identity theft, 225 cases of sextortion, and 61 reports of child exploitation and abuse.
The government and the Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) are launching a three-month awareness campaign on responsible social media use. The campaign will focus on verifying information, protecting privacy, preventing digital scams, and combating cyberbullying. The minister assured that the initiative does not aim to restrict freedom of expression or criticism of the government.
Discussions are underway with Meta to accelerate the removal of harmful content, particularly that related to harassment, threats, and child exploitation. The government aims to establish a structured cooperation framework within the next six months. The ministry is also exploring collaboration with StopNCII to combat the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, including those manipulated by artificial intelligence.
Dr. Ramtohul emphasized that the authorities will not stand idly by in the face of increasing cybercrime cases. He stated that behind every piece of harmful content and every fake profile, there are also humiliations that victims suffer. The minister stressed that the government cannot remain indifferent to this situation.
The proposed social media rules are part of a broader effort to protect young people in Mauritius from the potential dangers of the digital world. The government hopes that the new measures will help to mitigate the risks associated with social media use and promote responsible online behavior among teenagers.
Key points
- The Mauritius government proposes a daily two-hour social media limit for teenagers, with "School Mode" and "Sleep Mode" to limit notifications during school hours and at night.
