Facebook and TikTok were blocked in Gabon on Wednesday following an announcement by the country’s media regulator citing risks of “conflict-inducing excesses,” AFP journalists confirmed.
The High Authority for Communication (HAC) imposed the immediate suspension of social media platforms, warning that content posted online—including “inappropriate, defamatory, hateful, and insulting” material—was threatening public order, social cohesion, and national security. Spokesman Jean-Claude Mendome said the spread of false information, cyberbullying, and unauthorized disclosure of personal data could destabilize Gabon’s institutions and jeopardize national unity.
HAC did not provide a complete list of affected platforms but stated that freedom of expression and the right to comment and critique remain “fundamental rights” in Gabon.
The suspension comes amid social unrest under President Brice Oligui Nguema, less than a year into his tenure. Teachers began striking over pay and working conditions in December 2025, with protests spreading to other public sectors including health, higher education, and broadcasting.
