The Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, in collaboration with the Data Protection Office, organised a half-day workshop, today, on data protection for the youth, at the Trianon Convention Centre.
The objective of the workshop was to sensitise various stakeholders, including students from secondary and tertiary institutions, on the importance of personal privacy and data protection in the current digital era. Topics discussed included data protection education and digital citizenship in schools; the implementation of data privacy as part of the curricula at tertiary level; the dangers of social media; cybercrime related to youngsters; as well as the roles and functions of the National Cybercrime Committee. A Video Clip on Data Protection for the Youth was launched, too, on the occasion.
The Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun; the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Darsanand Balgobin; the Data Protection Commissioner, Mrs Drudeisha Madhub; and other personalities were present at the opening of the event.
During her speech, the Vice-Prime Minister explained that data protection was much more than a mere technical issue but was rather a societal and ethical imperative. She thus apprised that the disruptive nature of technology in daily lives had augured an era where data breaches and cybercrimes caused significant threats that could undermine trust in institutions and systems, resulting in reputational damage of a pervasive nature. Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun pointed out that leaders and custodians of information must therefore exemplify ethical digital practices by fostering a culture of respect, transparency and accountability within their institutions.
Commending the Data Protection Office for the public education initiative, Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun highlighted the importance of engaging young people in the vital conversation on data protection, stressing that this generation should learn about the safeguard of personal information as well as developing a sound respect for data protection, and respect for privacy rights. She affirmed that the workshop, targeting a young audience, showed the collective commitment to address effectively the issues of data protection, online privacy and responsible digital behaviour.
The significance of data protection in the education field was moreover dwelt upon by the Vice-Prime Minister. She recalled that schools were increasingly relying on digital tools for learning and administration, requiring stringent data protection measures to safeguard students-related information. She hence insisted on the indispensability to incorporate data privacy and digital citizenship in the school curricula. "The integration of data privacy education in the school curricula is in the cards, the aim being to equip students with the knowledge and skills to protect their personal information and navigate the digital world responsibly," informed Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun.
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As for the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, he deplored the alarming trends regarding the number of cases of cyberbullying, sextortion, and online harassment reported at the Computer Emergency Response Team of Mauritius (CERT-MU), emphasising that the majority of victims were young people. He indicated that the number of cases had risen from more than 3,300 in 2022 to reach 4,139 in 2023. The figures from January 2024 to date stood at 2,600 cases.
According to Mr Darsanand Balgobin, the digitalisation of the country was rapidly moving forward. Consequently, he called for young people to take cognisance of the dangers related to the cyberworld and to protect their personal information by using the internet and social media in a responsible manner, and by familiarising themselves with the dos and don'ts to ensure their protection when online and from online contents.
