Mauritius to put a stop to abusive use of Internet - Minister

Port Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - Mauritian Information and Communication Technology Minister Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum has said the government will use the Online Content Filtering solution to put a stop to the abusive use of Internet.

''We live in a free society but there should be no abusive use of that freedom. The law is really strict for those who contravene this freedom and ignorance of law is not an excuse,'' he said at a press conference here Tuesday.

The Minister said the government was working with Interpol to identify all sites decreed as forbidden so as to ensure that Mauritian children were kept safe and secured from harm.

''The Mauritian ICT sector’s development is on the fast-track. When we have the ambition to make Mauritius a cyber-island, we have to expect slip-ups from certain people and be confronted to cyber-criminals and professional hackers,'' the Minister said.

Minister Chedumbrum noted that it is shameful that some people are making abusive use of Internet and think that they can get away with it, in an apparent reference to a recent cases of misuse of the Internet, especially Facebook, to insult people of other faiths.

''Such issues can compromise state defence, public safety and public order, it is crucial for us to react,'' he observed.

The Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act in Mauritius stipulates that any person who commits an offence under this law is liable to a fine not exceeding 200,000 Mauritian Rupees (about US$6,700) and a jail term not exceeding 20 years.
-0- PANA NA/SEG 14Aug2012