What You Need to Know
The Gabonese presidency announced a temporary suspension of several social media platforms, including Facebook and TikTok, to regulate their use and ensure quality public discourse. The decision comes amidst rising social tensions and protests demanding better working conditions and salaries in various sectors, although officials deny a direct link between the two.
Africa-Press. The presidency of Gabon announced that it is responsible for the decision to suspend several social media networks since Wednesday, confirming that the step is “temporary” and aims to regulate their use and ensure the quality of public discourse.
According to the presidential spokesperson, Théophane Zamié-Nzi Bioghe, the suspension of platforms like Facebook and TikTok is not a “final ban,” but a “temporary halt” that allows the authorities to consider establishing a legal framework to regulate the digital space. He explained that the goal is to “maintain social cohesion” and ensure citizens have access to “reliable and accurate” information, denying that the decision is aimed at censorship or repression.
The spokesperson noted that social media has turned into “fact factories,” which threatens the quality of public discourse. He confirmed that the authorities have been studying ways to regulate this area for months, and the current suspension is part of a broader vision to reset the digital information space.
Social Context
The decision coincides with rising social protests that have been ongoing since the beginning of the year. President Brice Oligui Nguema, who came to power after the 2023 coup and was elected last year, is facing strikes in the education, health, and public media sectors, with demands focused on improving salaries and working conditions. Nevertheless, the presidency emphasized that the suspension of networks is “not directly related” to these movements, pointing out that “the intensity of social anger has recently decreased.”
In an attempt to alleviate tensions, the government announced a plan to settle 12,000 administrative cases by the end of this year, including 4,000 in the education sector, which employs about 27,000 staff. Authorities state that these measures will help overcome a decade of salary freezes in the public sector, while committing to “make every effort to improve employee wages,” despite budget constraints.
Gabon has faced significant social unrest in recent years, particularly following the 2023 coup that brought President Brice Oligui Nguema to power. His administration has been challenged by strikes in education, health, and public media sectors, with demands for improved salaries and working conditions. The current suspension of social media is seen as part of a broader strategy to manage public discourse and address the growing discontent among citizens.
The government has been under pressure to respond to these social challenges, and the recent decision to suspend social media platforms is intended to create a legal framework for digital space regulation.
