Gabon has restored access to major social media platforms after an eight-month suspension, ending a restriction that had drawn criticism at home and abroad.
The High Communication Authority (HAC) announced the decision on October 24, saying it had lifted the ban imposed on February 17, according to RFI.
The regulator said the shutdown targeted content it considered defamatory, hateful, obscene, or abusive, which it argued threatened public order, social cohesion, and national security. Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram were blocked during the suspension, while WhatsApp functioned only intermittently.
HAC spokesman Jean-Claude Franck Mendome said the authority had decided to “lift the suspension of social media platforms.” He said the measure had been intended to give the government time to adapt its legal framework for better regulation of online activity.
The ban had affected businesses and young people who rely on platforms for communication, marketing and online commerce. Local media reported financial losses for small enterprises, while many Gabonese users bypassed the restrictions using virtual private networks (VPNs).
The restoration follows consultations with major technology companies. The HAC said it had developed cooperation with TikTok, Meta—which owns Facebook and Instagram—and YouTube to improve content moderation and enable the rapid reporting and removal of unlawful material.
However, access will not return without new conditions. Gabon has introduced mandatory user identification, requiring verified names, addresses and national identification numbers, effectively ending online anonymity.
