Gabon has suspended access to Facebook and TikTok, AFP journalists confirmed on Wednesday, following a directive from the country’s media regulator, the High Authority for Communication (HAC).
The regulator announced the suspension “until further notice,” citing concerns that content on these platforms was stoking conflict and societal division.
HAC spokesman Jean-Claude Mendome stated that “inappropriate, defamatory, hateful, and insulting content” was threatening:
- Human dignity and public morality
- Social cohesion
- Stability of government institutions
- National security
He also highlighted issues such as spread of false information, cyberbullying, and unauthorized disclosure of personal data as key reasons for the ban. Mendome added that these actions could generate social conflict and jeopardize democratic progress and national unity.
Despite the suspension, the regulator affirmed that freedom of expression, including comment and criticism, remains a fundamental right in Gabon.
The move comes less than a year after President Brice Oligui Nguema took office, amid social unrest including:
- Teacher strikes over pay and working conditions since December
- Protests spreading to health, higher education, and broadcasting sectors
The ban underscores the government’s sensitivity to online content that could inflame tensions, particularly during periods of social instability.
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