Gabon’s media regulator has ordered the suspension of social media platforms across the country “until further notice,” citing concerns over content it says is fuelling division and instability.
In a televised address on Tuesday, Jean-Claude Mendome, spokesperson for the High Authority for Communication, announced the “immediate suspension of social media platforms in Gabon.”
He attributed the decision to what he described as inappropriate, defamatory, hateful and insulting content circulating online, which he said undermines human dignity, public morality, social cohesion and national security.
The regulator also pointed to the spread of false information, cyberbullying and the unauthorised disclosure of personal data as contributing factors behind the move.
According to the communications body, such actions risk generating social conflict, destabilising state institutions and jeopardising national unity and democratic progress.
While the suspension applies broadly to social media, the authority did not specify which platforms are affected. It, however, maintained that freedom of expression — including the right to comment and criticise — remains a fundamental right protected in Gabon.
The decision comes amid growing social unrest in the Central African nation. Less than a year after his election, President Brice Oligui Nguema is facing mounting pressure from striking workers.
Public school teachers began industrial action in December over pay and working conditions. The protests have since spread to other sectors, including health, higher education and public broadcasting, as civil servants press similar demands.
