Facebook and TikTok have been inaccessible in Equatorial Guinea for more than two weeks, an AFP journalist reports. The disruption follows the viral spread of an online video accusing the country’s vice-president of corruption.
Equatorial Guinea, an authoritarian state led by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo since 1979, has faced regular criticism over civil liberties. According to reports, internet speeds have been restricted since September 2, and access to Facebook and TikTok is effectively impossible without a virtual private network (VPN). Other Meta services, such as WhatsApp and Instagram, are described as limited but still working.
The video, posted by a young woman, accuses Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang—nicknamed “Teodorin”—of corruption. She was then arrested. Outlets also note that the vice-president was convicted in France in 2021 and had assets frozen in the United Kingdom following corruption-related investigations. One outlet adds that Equatorial Guinea’s neighbours have also suspended social media, citing similar stability and security concerns.
