Gabon Restores Access to Social Media After Months-Long Ban
The High Authority for Communication (HAC) blocked access to major platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, in February, citing concerns about online abuse. The move drew widespread criticism.
The regulator had argued that social media posts threatened national security and social cohesion, accusing users of sharing defamatory, hateful, misleading and insulting material.
“The HAC has decided to lift the suspension of social media platforms,” spokesman Jean Claude Mendome said in a statement. He explained that the restriction had been introduced to “allow the government to adapt its legal framework to better regulate social media,” he added.
The ban was introduced amid protests against the government over the rising cost of living. Activists condemned the measure, describing it as an infringement on internet freedom.
During the shutdown, thousands of people reportedly used virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass the restrictions and access blocked platforms.
Mendome said the decision to restore access came after direct talks with major international technology companies about measures to strengthen content moderation across their services.
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