A blackout on several social media platforms in Guinea has been lifted, bloggers and users in the West African nation said on Friday.
The disruption had affected major platforms including Facebook, Messenger, YouTube, and TikTok, according to the Association of Bloggers in Guinea (ABLOGUI), which first reported the blockage.
Authorities in Guinea have not issued any official statement explaining the restrictions, which were initially announced by the bloggers’ association on Thursday.
The country is governed by Mamady Doumbouya, a former army general who came to power following a 2021 coup and was later elected in a vote last December that excluded major opposition figures.
Guinea’s communications regulator had earlier warned about the spread of “verbal attacks, unverified information, and messages harmful to social cohesion,” though it did not directly link the statement to the shutdown.
ABLOGUI President Baro Conde welcomed the restoration of access, describing it as a positive development for civil liberties.
“Citizens will once again be able to enjoy their freedoms of information and expression,” he said.
However, he cautioned that similar restrictions could return, especially ahead of elections.
“Guinea has developed a habit of restricting social media access during election periods,” he added.
Legislative and municipal elections are scheduled for May 31, raising concerns about possible future disruptions to online communication.
AFP
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