Internet & Online Safety · Congo
Online safety & content laws in Congo (2026)
Congo shaded by its internet & online safety status
The Democratic Republic of Congo enacted a broad Digital Code in March 2023 covering cybersecurity, electronic transactions, content restrictions, and data protection in a single instrument, but most implementing decrees remain unissued and enforcement capacity is weak. The government supplements sparse formal regulation with ad-hoc internet and social media shutdowns — most recently blocking TikTok, X (Twitter), and the Google Play Store during the January–February 2025 Goma military crisis. No dedicated, comprehensive online-safety law comparable to the EU DSA or UK OSA exists.
Key points
Ordonnance-Loi No. 23/010 of 13 March 2023 is the primary omnibus digital law. It covers cybersecurity, electronic services, digital infrastructure, e-commerce, and basic content provisions, including a prohibition on spreading false information via electronic networks (Section 360), punishable by 1–6 months imprisonment and fines up to 1 million Congolese francs (~USD 430).
The Digital Code establishes the ARN (Autorité de régulation du numérique) for digital market oversight, the ANC (Agence nationale de cybersécurité) for national cybersecurity, and the ANCE (Autorité nationale de certification électronique) for trust services. The Ministry of Post, Telecommunications and Digital (PTN) issued one ministerial decree in August 2024; most other implementing decrees required by the Code remain outstanding.
The DRC government ordered widespread internet and social media restrictions beginning 27 January 2025 amid the M23/Rwanda military escalation. TikTok, X (Twitter), and the Google Play Store were blocked; Internet Society Pulse and NetBlocks confirmed the disruptions. VPN sign-ups on Proton VPN spiked 7,000% above baseline as citizens sought to circumvent blocks.
Despite the Digital Code defining personal, biometric, and strategic data, the DRC has no standalone data protection legislation and no independent data-protection authority as of 2025. The DRC ratified the African Union Malabo Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection in April 2023, which may eventually shape future legislation.
The Digital Code contains no DSA-style platform-liability framework, algorithmic-transparency obligations, or statutory age-verification requirements. Civil society reports note that provisions protecting minors in e-commerce contexts are present but vaguely worded, and no secondary rules operationalise them.
In 2025 the DRC unveiled an USD 8.7 billion national digital transformation plan covering broadband expansion, AI skills, e-government, and cybersecurity through 2030. The plan signals intent to strengthen the regulatory environment but no online-safety-specific legislation has been tabled as of May 2026.
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Last verified 5/24/2026 · Orientation, not legal advice - verify against the primary sources linked above. Explore the full world map →