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Last Friday, the Mauritius communications regulator ordered all internet service providers to suspend access to social media platforms until November 11, a day after the upcoming general election. According to it, the temporary ban on social media platforms was in response to “illegal postings”. 
The ban was prompted by the release of 20 secret recordings of phone conversations by politicians, journalists, members of civil society and even foreign diplomats that emerged online last month, according to media watchdog Reporters Without Borders. 
The leaked recordings were released by an account called Missie Moustass (Mr Moustache), primarily on TikTok. There have been attempts to block the account but it quickly resurfaced elsewhere and has been releasing recordings almost daily. 
Among those causing the greatest shock was that of the police commissioner asking a forensic doctor to alter a report about a person who died after being beaten in police custody. A judicial investigation into the death was launched following the leak. 
Private calls featuring British High Commissioner Charlotte Pierre were also leaked. Jugnauth and the police previously claimed the leaked calls were manipulated using artificial intelligence. 
The office of Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth said the restriction was necessary to preserve the national security and integrity of the country, following the publication of “certain” audio clips. “A crisis committee is currently meeting to contain the existing risks as soon as possible,” the office said in a statement. 
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 Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth
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Prime Minister Jugnauth is seeking re-election as head of the Militant Socialist Movement. He became prime minister in 2017 when his father stepped down. And, there has been serious pushback from opposition parties and local media groups, who rely heavily on social media. 
Last year a British court sitting as the final court of appeal for Mauritius upheld Jugnauth’s 2019 election win, rejecting an appeal by an opposition candidate who alleged it had been obtained through bribery and undue influence. 
Some analysts believe that the wiretapping scandal could influence the outcome of the poll. 
Similar: <a href="https://technext24.com/2024/06/25/kenya-internet-disruptions-reported/">Breaking: Internet disruptions reported in Kenya hours after govt denied attempts to shutdown service</a> 
<h4 id="mauritius-social-media-ban-reactions-and-upturn" class="wp-block-heading">Mauritius social media ban: Reactions and upturn</h4> 
The opposition believes that the ban was a political manoeuvre to avoid defeat in the general elections billed to hold on November 10 with Jugnauth looking to extend his rule and hold onto the parliamentary majority enjoyed by his Militant Socialist Movement party. 
“The outgoing government knows quite well that it’s heading towards a defeat. As such it is using all means to stay in power,” said Navin Ramgoolam, leader of the Alliance for Change party and Jugnauth’s main challenger told <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/mauritius-suspends-social-media-until-after-election-communications-regulator-2024-11-01/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a> on Friday. 
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 <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="400" src="https://technext24.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/social-media-apps.jpg" alt="Social agriculture: 7.5 million Kenyan farmers sell their produce through social media" class="wp-image-197869">
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Two civil society groups, the Internet Governance Forum and the Internet Society, warned in a joint statement that “curtailing access to digital platforms would not only stifle democratic processes but also harm the economy, disrupt businesses, and restrict access to essential information and services.” 
EMTEL, one of the three telecoms operators in the Indian Ocean nation, indicated on Friday it was implementing the directive and warned that “the user experience will be progressively disrupted.” 
The ban had been in place for 24 hours, with users unable to access Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X. 
But, just 24 hours after (on Saturday), the government of the African island nation reversed its decision. The Information and Communications Authority said the ban had been lifted after “consultation with competent authorities”.
The post <a href="https://technext24.com/2024/11/03/mauritius-shut-down-social-media-24-hour/">Mauritius shuts down social media for 24 hours ahead of general elections</a> first appeared on <a href="https://technext24.com">Technext</a>.

Mauritius shuts down social media for 24 hours ahead of general elections

Technext.ng

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