Gabon shuts down social media nationwide amid fears of ‘harmful’ content eroding stability
Gabon
Abdullateef Fowewe
Gabon’s media regulator has imposed an indefinite suspension of all social media platforms across the country, invoking urgent concerns over threats to social cohesion and national stability.
The High Authority for Communication announced the decision in a televised address, pointing to a surge in online harms.
Spokesperson Jean-Claude Mendome stated, “This decision followed repeated cases of defamatory and hateful posts, the spread of false information, cyberbullying, and the unauthorized disclosure of personal data.”
Mendome emphasised the severity of the issue, adding that “certain online activities have undermined public order and violated existing laws,” necessitating immediate action to protect the nation.
No timeline has been provided for lifting the suspension, leaving millions of users and businesses in limbo.
Many rely on platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter (now X) for daily communication, news, and commerce, raising fears of widespread disruption in the oil-rich Central African nation.
The move comes amid heightened political tensions following a 2023 military coup, with critics likely to decry it as censorship.
