Guinea Lifts Social Media Ban Ahead of Elections

The government of Guinea, led by Mamadi Doumbouya, a former army general who came to power after a coup in 2021, has lifted a temporary ban on social media platforms that included Facebook, Messenger, YouTube, and TikTok. This ban was first reported by the blogger association Ablogui and was aimed at disrupting the spread of unverified information that could harm social cohesion.

The government had previously warned against verbal attacks and misinformation. Although no official statement was issued explaining the initial restrictions, the president of the blogger association, Baro, welcomed the restoration of access, describing it as a positive development for civil liberties.

However, there are concerns that similar restrictions could return, especially with municipal elections scheduled for May 31, raising fears of potential future disruptions to online communication.