Gabon switches social media back on after eight months
Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram are back, but users must now identify themselves, the media regulator says.
Taiwo Banjoko
Libreville — Gabon's media regulator says access to social media was restored on Saturday 24 October, ending a suspension that began on 17 February.
The High Communication Authority (HAC) had cut off Facebook and TikTok, the most-used platforms in the country, as well as YouTube and Instagram, blaming online content for stoking conflict and division. WhatsApp worked on and off. Many people kept using the platforms through VPNs.
What changes
- The HAC says the pause let the government adapt its legal framework to regulate social media.
- Users must now provide formal identification, which ends anonymous accounts.
- The regulator says it is working with Meta, TikTok and YouTube to improve content moderation.
The opposition had called the ban an abuse of power, and several legal challenges were rejected by the courts.
Source: Africanews, 25 October 2026.
