Activists in Gabon express growing concern over the government's social media clampdown, alleging it's part of a pattern of suppressing dissent. The indefinite suspension of social media platforms and confiscation of phones with VPNs has drawn international criticism.

<p>Activists claim use of laws to curtail internet freedoms part of well-documented history of cracking down on dissent</p><p>When Gabon’s media regulator indefinitely suspended major social media platforms in February, citing security concerns during anti-government protests, it became the talk of town – literally.</p><p>Within weeks of the announcement, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to bypass the restrictions surged in the central African country. When gendarmerie began stopping young...