Social Media Access Restored in Guinea

Users and bloggers in Guinea confirmed on Friday that a recent block on various social media platforms has been removed.

The outage had previously impacted major sites such as TikTok, Facebook, Messenger, and YouTube, as noted by the Association of Bloggers in Guinea (ABLOGUI).

Government officials have yet to provide a formal explanation for the restrictions, which the blogger association first identified on Thursday.

Guinea is currently under the leadership of Mamady Doumbouya, who took control following a 2021 coup and won a subsequent election last December that excluded key opposition candidates.

Although the national communications regulator previously expressed concerns regarding unverified claims and harmful content, they did not officially confirm that these issues prompted the blackout. ABLOGUI President Baro Conde praised the return of service, noting that it restores essential freedoms of expression and information for the public.

Despite this progress, Conde expressed skepticism about the long-term stability of these digital freedoms.

He noted that the state has a history of limiting online access during election cycles. With municipal and legislative elections slated for May 31, there are lingering fears that internet connectivity could be hampered again in the near future.