Gabon lifts social media suspension after eight months

Gabon’s media regulator lifted the country’s social media suspension on 24 October, more than eight months after it began. The decision removes an official barrier to widely used platforms in the Central African country of nearly 3.5 million people.

Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram had been blocked since 17 February, while WhatsApp worked only partly. Many users bypassed the restrictions with virtual private networks, or VPNs, which can route internet connections around blocks. Small and medium-sized businesses and media organisations reported heavy losses during the suspension.

The High Authority for Communication, known as the HAC, said it was lifting the measure following legal changes and closer cooperation with TikTok, Meta and YouTube. According to the regulator, that cooperation includes access to tools for reporting unlawful content. Its announcement did not specify a technical timetable for restoring access.

The suspension had drawn strong criticism from the opposition and faced several unsuccessful court challenges. Its removal is a concrete easing of restrictions, but important limits remain: in October, Gabon made formal identification compulsory for Gabonese social media users, ending online anonymity.