Mauritius case study
This case study focusses on arguably the most impressive example of public oversight discussed in this research project, and one that has reduced the scope for surveillance overreach on a more sustained basis as popular consciousness of the dangers remain embedded in the social fabric. In 2013, the Mauritian government introduced the smart identity (ID) card to replace the previous National ID Card through a public-private partnership with Singapore, with the stated aim of cleaning up duplication in databases, but with considerable surveillance potential as it provided the government with a massive database of population data. The smart card contained a microchip and biometric data, including fingerprints, facial recognition data and a digital photo, and the biometric information was meant to be stored in a central population database. The Smart ID card faced opposition from the public, activists and civil society organisations, who were concerned that the government could use this information for surveillance purposes or to track the activities of citizens. Civil society organisations and activists launched campaigns to oppose the smart ID card. These included online petitions, social media campaigns, and public protests. There were also legal challenges filed against the implementation of the biometric card.
Due to the public outcry, the government suspended the project in 2015 and changes to the Smart ID card system to address the public’s concerns. This case study examines the factors that influenced public oversight of the digital Smart ID policy and the decision by the government to update data protection laws. It utilises an innovative mixed-theory approach to understand the dynamics of public oversight in Mauritius.
Policy briefs
Sarah Chiumbu, ‘Smart ID cards in Mauritius: balancing rights and freedoms with national identification needs’ (with Christina Chan Meetoo), Intelwatch, August 2024
Academic papers and seminars
Sarah Chiumbu, paper entitled ‘Factors influencing public oversight of digital surveillance for intelligence purposes: The case of Mauritius’, presented at a seminar organised by the Sociology Seminar Series, University of Glasgow, 24 April 2024.
Sarah Chiumbu, paper entitled ‘Smart and safe cities in South Africa through a Powercube lens’, presented at an Urban Studies Seminar organised by the Urban Big Data Centre, University of Glasgow, 29 April.
Sarah Chiumbu, masterclass on ‘Decolonising Research Methods’ for PhD students from the School of Social and Political Sciences’, University of Glasgow, 19 June 2024.
Sarah Chiumbu, chair and discussant on a panel ‘Production Cultures, Policies and Practices’ during the conference Researching Media Production in the Global South, organised by the Media Industries and Cultural Production Research Group and the Global Communication Research Group at the University of Leeds in partnership with the IAMCR Media Production Analysis Working Group, and Glasgow University Media Group, 30 May 2024.
Sarah Chiumbu, co-authored a paper ‘Between Digital Sovereignty and the (Global) Regulatory Turn? Platform Power, New Media and Normative Dilemmas in Africa’ with Hayes Mabweazara, Admire Mare and Allen Munoriyarwa. This paper was presented at the conference Regulating Digital Media in the Global South: What Are the Challenges? Conference organized by University of Westminster’s Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI), 27 June 2024.