The Republic of Gabon, through its High Authority for Communication (HAC), has suspended the use of all social media platforms across the country until further notice.
The decision was taken on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, with the aim of preventing potential harm resulting from what the HAC described as the improper use of social media.
In a statement made public, the HAC did not cite any specific incident that prompted the decision, which surprised many. However, it noted a surge in the dissemination of inappropriate content on social media, including insults, defamation, hate speech, and other actions intended to undermine individuals, disrupt national unity, perpetrate cyber harassment, destabilize state institutions and threaten national security.
The media regulatory authority in the country stated that social media platforms are being used in ways, that violate Gabonese laws as well as international standards.
The HAC indicated that some Gabonese citizens have demonstrated inappropriate behavior on social media. It also accused the founders and administrators of these platforms of failing to implement adequate content moderation regarding unlawful posts.
In Gabon, WhatsApp, Facebook, and TikTok are among the most widely used social media platforms. The announcement was read on the state-owned television channel, Gabon 1ère, by the HAC spokesperson, Jean-Claude Mendome, who did not specify when the suspension might be lifted.
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