Gabon seeks to mandate legal representatives for digital giants like TikTok, Facebook, and X
via Gabon Review4 min read
On June 22, the Gabonese Senate reviewed a bill to regulate social networks and digital platforms, aiming to require major digital platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and X to appoint a legal representative in Gabon or within the CEMAC region. The Minister of Communication and Media, Germain Biahodjow, presented the draft law, emphasizing the need to modernize digital governance and strengthen the state's legal sovereignty in the digital space. This initiative comes amid challenges with bypassing access restrictions via VPNs and difficulties connecting to certain platforms following suspensions. The proposed measure seeks to address a situation where some platforms have evaded local judicial requisitions due to a lack of legal interlocutors in the country. According to Germain Biahodjow, the text is crucial for better protecting citizens, youth, and institutions in an increasingly difficult-to-control digital environment. The bill also aims to enhance content and usage regulation, given the growing influence of social networks in public discourse. Discussions in the Senate commission highlighted concerns regarding human rights, particularly freedom of expression and information, the protection of minors from online content, and the role of small and medium-sized enterprises that heavily rely on social media for visibility and economic growth. The examination of the bill is ongoing.
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