Guinea Restores Access to Social Media After Restrictions

Guinea has restored access to social media platforms that were temporarily disrupted, affecting users nationwide. Major platforms impacted included Facebook, Messenger, YouTube, and TikTok.

The disruptions were first reported by the blogger Ablo Gui, and the government has yet to provide an official explanation for the initial restrictions, which were announced on Thursday. The current leadership in Guinea is under Mamadi Doumbouya, who assumed power following a coup in 2021.

The government had previously issued a warning against the spread of unverifiable information that could harm social cohesion, although this was not directly connected to the advisory for the social media shutdown. Ablo Gui Baro welcomed the restoration of online access, describing it as a positive development for freedom of expression.

However, he cautioned that such restrictions could reoccur, particularly with municipal elections scheduled for May 31.