Gabon: five months of social media blackout sparks growing unrest

The Gabon has been operating in a digital dark age for exactly five months. Since mid-February, access to major social media platforms has been blocked, enforced through a technical restriction that requires users to rely on VPN services to bypass the ban. The measure, initially justified as a safeguard against hate speech and misinformation, now appears increasingly disconnected from its stated purpose. Without a clear timeline for lifting the restrictions, the indefinite suspension risks becoming a permanent feature of public life.

By Anne Nkeng — Société et culture