Mauritius Plans Two-Hour Daily Social Media Limit for Teens

Mauritius is planning new restrictions on social media use for teenagers, with a proposed default limit of two hours per day and two new blocking modes designed to protect young people during school hours and at night.

Dr Avinash Ramtohul, the minister responsible for the digital economy and technology, announced the measures as part of a broader effort to address the impact of social media on adolescent wellbeing. The two-hour daily cap would be activated by default, meaning teenagers would need to actively change the setting rather than opt in to any restriction.

Two additional features are also being studied. A School Mode would block social media notifications during class hours, reducing distractions in the classroom. A Sleep Mode would similarly block notifications at night, aiming to protect teenagers from disrupted sleep caused by late-night scrolling or messaging.

The announcement signals that Mauritius is looking at a regulatory approach similar to moves seen in other countries. Australia passed legislation in late 2024 banning children under 16 from social media platforms entirely. France has piloted phone-free schools and is exploring age-based restrictions. Mauritius appears to be charting a middle path, focusing on time limits and notification controls rather than outright bans.

The precise mechanism for enforcing the two-hour cap has not yet been detailed publicly. It is not yet clear whether the measures would be enforced through platform-level agreements with social media companies, parental control tools built into devices, or new legislation. The School Mode and Sleep Mode features are described as still being studied, suggesting formal proposals have not yet been finalised.

What this means: If these measures are adopted, parents and teenagers in Mauritius would see social media apps automatically restricted to two hours of use per day, unless a user manually adjusts the settings. Notifications from platforms would be silenced during school periods and overnight by default. For schools, this could reduce phone-related disruptions without requiring teachers to police devices directly. For parents, it offers a layer of protection that does not require them to set up controls themselves. The practical effect will depend heavily on how the rules are implemented and whether social media companies operating in Mauritius are required to comply.

Further details on the legislative or regulatory framework behind these proposals are expected to emerge as the government advances its digital policy agenda.

Source: Le Defi Media