Mauritius Suspends Social Media Amid Wiretapping Fallout

Mauritius's communications regulator mandated an internet service shutdown of social media until after the general election on Nov. 10, following a wiretapping scandal involving leaked conversations of politicians and civil society members. Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth seeks to maintain his party's parliamentary majority.

The Communications Authority in Mauritius has ordered all internet service providers to halt access to social media platforms, effective immediately, with the ban set to last until November 11. This decision coincides with the fallout from a widespread wiretapping scandal.

Social media has been awash with leaked conversations involving influential figures from politics, law enforcement, the legal field, and journalism since mid-October. The scandal unfolds as Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth aims to secure another term for his Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) in the November 10 elections.

Both Prime Minister Jugnauth and law enforcement officials have alleged that artificial intelligence was used to manipulate the leaked communications.