Gabon sets digital majority at 16, restricts social media access for minors

Gabon has implemented a new ordinance, effective April 8, 2026, establishing the digital majority at 16 years old. This decision prohibits individuals under 16 from accessing social media networks. The Gabonese state aims to protect young people from cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and other harmful online practices. The new legal framework places parental responsibility at the forefront of digital security, making parents or legal guardians accountable for the online actions of their children under 16. Digital platforms are now mandated to implement reliable age verification systems and rigorously filter violent, sexual, or psychologically harmful content, facing penalties for non-compliance. The ordinance requires platforms to respond to reports of harmful content within 24 hours and process them definitively within 72 hours. It also strictly prohibits minors from accessing pornographic content. This move aligns Gabon with rigorous international standards, asserting its digital sovereignty and commitment to protecting its youth. This decision follows a February 2026 restriction on social media due to content deemed inappropriate, defamatory, hateful, or injurious, which affected human dignity, public morals, citizens' honor, social cohesion, institutional stability, and national security. The previous restriction also addressed the spread of false information, cyberbullying, and unauthorized disclosure of personal data. Gabon is not alone in this approach; Australia i