Gabon’s media regulator has ordered the suspension of social media platforms nationwide “until further notice”, saying online content is fueling conflict and undermining social cohesion and state institutions. The High Authority for Communication (HAC), through spokesperson Jean‑Claude Mendome, said in a televised statement that “inappropriate, defamatory, hateful and insulting content” circulating on social networks threatens human dignity, public morality, national unity and security”. The regulator also cited the spread of false information, cyberbullying and unauthorized disclosure of personal data as reasons for the decision.
Officials did not name specific platforms included in the ban, but popular services such as WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok are widely used in Gabon and are expected to be affected. The move comes as President Brice Oligui Nguema who took office last year after leading a military coup and later winning a presidential election faces growing social unrest. Teachers have been on strike since December over pay and working conditions, and protests have spread to other public sectors including health, higher education and broadcasting. Although authorities defended the suspension as necessary to protect public order, critics say the blackout could curb freedom of expression and impede communication, particularly for young people and businesses that rely on social media.
