Gabon's media regulator has ordered the immediate suspension of certain social media platforms, warning that posts could undermine social cohesion and threaten institutional and national security. Access to Meta Platforms, YouTube, and TikTok is now restricted, though Facebook, Instagram, and X reportedly remain accessible.
The decision comes amid economic pressures, high unemployment, and a fragile post-coup transition under President Brice Oligui Nguema, prompting concerns from civil society groups that the restrictions could paralyze social and economic activity.
"The suspension amounts to paralysing a significant part of the country's economic and social activity in a context already marked by unemployment and the cost of living," said civil society member Nicaise Moulombi. "Social networks are no longer mere tools for entertainment, they have become instruments of work, citizen expression, commerce, innovation, and even democratic mobilization."