1,414 Harassment Cases Force Minister’s Urgent Plea for Meta Accountability

Mauritius is grappling with a soaring crisis in online harassment, with an alarming 1,414 incidents officially recorded since February, the Minister of ICT, Avinash Ramtohul, revealed. A majority of the victims are female.

Speaking at the 2025 FIRST and AFRICACERT Symposium, Mr. Ramtohul issued a passionate call for major international platforms like Meta to establish a local presence and take “accountability” for the social harms caused by their services.

“We say we want Facebook to come to Mauritius. We want them to be locally present,” he stated, adding a stark warning: “Our children are dying in this country. We’ve had several cases.”

Digital Decline and Blueprint for a Reboot

The Minister admitted the country has slipped in its regional standing for digital transformation.

“There was a time when Mauritius was the lighting for digital transformation in the region. Now, we have lost several positions, and we face it, and we accept it,” he regretted.

However, this is set to change with the upcoming Blueprint, a plan structured around four pillars: digital public infrastructures, human capital, legislative reform, and digital sustainability. Mr. Ramtohul stressed that “Cyber security is at the heart of each of those pillars,” asserting that economic and social stability are now inseparable from digital stability.

Alarming Statistics: The Hidden Cost of Social Media

The official figures presented by the Minister paint a disturbing picture of the risks associated with social media:

• Online Harassment: 1,414 incidents since February (majority female victims).
• Scams and Fraud: 763 cases.
• Fake News: 520 cases.
• Identity Theft: 472 cases.
• Sextortion: 165 cases.
• Cyberstalking: 51 cases.
• Phishing: 39 cases.

Mr. Ramtohul cautioned that the issue is not about “diabolising technology” but addressing its uncontrolled use. “If we do not have the right approach to social media management or governance, we will not be able to protect our children in the future,” he warned, calling for balanced, yet firm, regulatory measures.

A Call for Collective African Action

Recognising the limited power of a small state against global giants, Mr. Ramtohul urged for a unified, continental approach. “If Mauritius is too small as a country, then we group ourselves as the African Union. We make one voice, one objective, one vision,” he said, pushing for common standards and dialogue.

This sentiment was echoed by Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola, Chairman of the African Union’s cybersecurity experts group, who stressed: “Cybersecurity is a collective responsibility across borders” and “Africa must act as one ecosystem to be effective against global threats.”

New Agency and Institutional Reform

To tackle the surge in cybercrime, the Minister announced plans to create a National Cyber Resilience and Cyber Security Agency. This body will feature a single helpline for victims and is intended to improve complaint handling, police cooperation, and judicial follow-up. This reform comes despite legislative texts like the ICT Act, as only one conviction has been recorded in recent years.

The symposium, held under the theme When the Defenders Unite, underscored the urgency of cross-border cooperation against digital threats. Olivier Caleff, President of FIRST, highlighted the need for speed, noting that “time is a critical parameter when it comes to incident management.”

Mr. Ramtohul also mentioned the impending publication of a national Artificial Intelligence strategy and the formation of an AI Unit within his ministry, stating: “It is now time to convert potential into performance.”

Source: Le Mauricien