Spread of misinformation during COVID-19: The case of Mauritius

Abstract

As COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly across the globe, it is imperative to regulate the content of information such that people have access to accurate information. Nevertheless, there is the fear that governments are abusing legislation to limit freedom of expression and that the pandemic is simply being used as an excuse to further obstruct free speech. As such, it is through the lens of human rights that this research critically examines the approaches undertaken by the Mauritian authorities to deal with misinformation during COVID-19. To achieve this research objective, the related laws on misinformation are critically assessed and a comparative analysis is caried out of international responses to misinformation during COVID-19. It has been noted that the law alone is not sufficient to deal with misinformation, and media literacy among citizens is also essential in this endeavour.