[Opinion] Cyberviolence: A Red Alert

Even Roshi Bhadain, the leader of the Reform Party, acknowledges this: the change in government has brought a sense of democratic breath and regained freedom to many Mauritians. We will remember how, in recent years, the public atmosphere had become heavy: controversial police interventions, with members of the 'Special Striking Team' (SST) showing up at the homes of internet users disguised as delivery personnel, unexpected raids against opponents, and a climate of fear surrounding political criticism on social media. Today, speech flows more freely, and this freedom is a precious gain that must be protected.

However, this fundamental freedom of expression does not equate to total license. It carries an unavoidable limit: the obligation not to harm. Yet, the Mauritian digital space is currently experiencing an explosion of excesses that endanger individuals, families, 'public figures,' and sometimes even social cohesion. Today, anyone can publish "information," often without verification, sometimes with the intention to manipulate, harm, and defame. Fake news circulates at a frightening speed, and many internet users tend to believe and share everything without critical reflection.

This dynamic is amplified by certain users seeking visibility at all costs, presenting themselves as "influencers" or "journalists," while spreading rumors, unfounded accusations, or misleading content under the guise of public interest to attract views. The case of Deenarain Lokee is a glaring example. Convicted for various crimes in the past, he now claims to be an investigator and spreads falsehoods on social media. Unfortunately, he is not the only one. This culture of immediate buzz creates an economy of misinformation where shocking content garners more attention than the truth.

The rate of online defamation has exploded. A simple video, a malicious post, or a casually thrown rumor can ruin a citizen's reputation in just a few hours. Under the guise of freedom of expression, some feel entitled to accuse without evidence, humiliate publicly, and invade others' privacy. The harm is real, lasting, and difficult to repair. Mauritius is unfortunately witnessing a worrying rise in cyberviolence, especially against youth and women. Cyberbullying, threats, emotional manipulations, and forms of sextortion are multiplying.

These phenomena are not theoretical: they kill. The recent suicide of a teenager, a heartbreaking tragedy, cruelly reminds us that the virtual world can become a deadly trap when young people are exposed, unprotected, to digital malice. In a country where almost all young people are present on social media, the situation demands an urgent and structured response. Freedom of expression can only fully exist if the public space—including digital— is secure. Allowing hatred, false information, manipulation, or violence to thrive does not equate to defending freedom; it stifles it.

Mauritius must establish modern, balanced, and transparent regulations aimed at protecting citizens, especially minors, against cyberbullying and sextortion. This includes holding social media platforms accountable and requiring them to act swiftly in the case of dangerous content, sanctioning defamation and intentional misinformation, educating internet users to verify sources and exercise critical thinking, and preserving freedom of expression while preventing abuses, but without reverting to mechanisms of political censorship.

One of the major dangers remains gullibility. It is urgent to promote digital education in schools, media, and families: learning to recognize a reliable source, to identify manipulation, and not to fall into the emotional trap of sensationalist content. In a connected society, digital maturity becomes a new form of citizenship. Mauritius has regained a climate of freedom. But this freedom must now be accompanied by a framework that protects the most vulnerable and holds digital actors accountable. Social media is not an area outside the world, outside the law, or outside ethics. To prevent further tragedies, it is urgent for Mauritius to move towards fair, modern, and protective regulation capable of curbing excesses without stifling freedom of expression.