2,300 Cyber Crimes Spark Urgent Mauritius Push To Ban Fake Profiles

The Mauritian government is drawing up a new law to end online anonymity by forcing social media users to verify their identities, following a surge in cybercrime and tragic youth suicides linked to anonymous accounts.

Cabinet ministers agreed on Friday to launch urgent consultations with stakeholders—including tech giants like Meta—to design a mandatory “identity verification” system. Information technology, communication and innovation minister Avinash Ramtohul told local press he intends to bring the legislation to parliament “as quickly as possible”.

The proposed crackdown adopts an “inverted pyramid” news structure detailing the government’s plans, the driving statistics behind the decision, and the global context.

Rising Cyber Abuse and Tragic Consequences

The decision follows a sharp increase in online offenses since the beginning of the year.

According to government figures, 2,300 cyber incidents have been officially reported since 1 January, with a similar number estimated to have gone unreported.

Among the recorded cases are 742 instances of online harassment, which minister Ramtohul noted have disproportionately affected children.

The minister specifically linked the cyber crackdown to several tragic youth suicides that occurred after personal photographs were leaked by anonymous users.

Further reported offenses over the last five months include:

• 150 hacking incidents: Notably involving WhatsApp accounts hijacked to scam money from victims’ contacts—a trend rising sharply in Mauritius.
• 23 child online abuse cases: Labeled by the minister as “already one case too many.”
• Sextorsion and scams: Increasing numbers targeting both private individuals and businesses.

Minister Ramtohul argued that the mobile phone has become “an extension of a person’s identity,” meaning hacked accounts amount to identity theft.

Government statistics show that approximately 60% of all recorded victims are women. In total, 121 cases involved minors, alongside 273 young adults (aged 18–26) and 873 adults over 26.

The Push for Transparency vs Free Speech

The legislation intends to target the spread of “fake news,” defamatory material, and hate speech disseminated through fake profiles. While Section 46 of the country’s ICT Act already bans the dissemination of false information, authorities argue offenders are evading justice by hiding behind fake accounts.

Addressing concerns over state censorship, minister Ramtohul insisted that the government has no intention to “muzzle” internet users or stifle free expression.

“We are not the type of government that will apply the law in all its rigour to silence people,” Ramtohul said, stating that the policy aims to make online interactions “more transparent.” He added: “If a person is doing nothing wrong, they have nothing to fear.”

The government also emphasized that cleaning up the virtual space is economic policy, vital to preserving the nation’s image and providing a “healthy virtual environment” for foreign residents and investors.

Technical Options and Tech Giant Defiance

The upcoming consultations will evaluate various technological avenues to verify a user’s true identity, which typically requires linking profiles to official ID, certified phone numbers, or government authentication portals.

The Mauritian government plans to include Meta—the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—in the talks. However, the minister acknowledged that global tech platforms might resist local demands.

Some platforms have previously refused to intervene when flagged by Mauritian authorities regarding communal or sectarian comments, citing compliance with their own internal corporate policies.

“Some platforms might not agree with us and continue to allow fake profiles, but they will still have to respect Mauritian law,” Ramtohul warned. No precise timetable for the bill’s introduction to parliament has been set.

Global Shift to Verified Identities

The Mauritian proposal mirrors an accelerating international trend toward regulating big tech and eliminating anonymous digital spaces.

While proponents globally argue that identity verification curbs fraud and protects vulnerable users, digital rights groups continue to raise concerns over the potential erosion of online privacy and individual anonymity.

Source: Defi Media