Social media suspended in Gabon for ‘spreading of false information’

In a televised statement on Tuesday evening, the High Authority for Communication (HAC) cited the “spread of false information”, “cyberbullying” and the “unauthorised disclosure of personal data” as reasons for the decision. Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported that by Wednesday afternoon multiple online platforms had been restricted, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and WhatsApp. Gabon is led by Gen Brice Oligui Nguema, who won presidential elections last year after leading a coup in 2023.

The 50-year-old president is facing growing social unrest, with teachers and civil servants staging strikes over pay and working conditions. “We are entering a phase where we don’t even know if we are moving forward with global development or if we are sliding backward into total underdevelopment.”