Misleading: LTA Has Not Announced Internet Interruption for July 17 Protest
Siaway Miapue
In Summary:
A press release purportedly issued by the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) surfaced on social media on the evening of June 16, claiming that there will be internet interruptions on July 17 – a day planned for a protest in Monrovia
We have fact-checked the authenticity of this press release and found it to be fake and misleading
On the evening of July 16, a press release surfaced online claiming that there could be possible internet interruptions in Liberia due to technical issues. The release claimed to be from the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA).
The purported press release surfaced a day before the planned protest in Monrovia. The release is being shared via Facebook and WhatsApp groups as well as sent as direct messages to social media users.
The Claim
The headline of the press release reads: “Possible Internet Interruption Due To Technical Issues Beginning July 17, 2025.”
The fake LTA press release surfaced on July 16, a day before the planned July 17 protest
Rating Justification
To verify this claim, we first checked the official Facebook page of the LTA but found no such announcement. There was no indication that the telecommunications authority had made any statement about any planned internet interruption on July 17 or in the coming days.
To further authenticate the claim, we contacted Patrick Honnah, one of the commissioners of the LTA, via WhatsApp.
In response, Commissioner Honnah described the release as “Fake News,” clearly stating: “We [LTA] have issued no such statement.”
Patrick Honnah, a deputy commissioner at the LTA, told us via WhatsApp that the release was not form the institution
A closer look at the purported press release also raised red flags. The document carried no official signature, and the LTA logo appeared overstretched and inconsistent with the institution’s official branding – suggesting that the logo had been manipulated.
Additionally, we found an official statement from the LTA signed by Jarsea Burphy, Director of Public Affairs, refuting any claims of an internet interruption.
In that statement, the LTA assured the public that “there is absolutely no internet disruption planned.” The release was also posted on the official Facebook page of the LTA.
Conclusion
Based on these findings, we conclude that the press release circulating online claiming to be from the LTA and warning of internet disruption starting July 17, 2025, is misleading.
The LTA has denied issuing such a statement, described it as “Fake News,” and clarified there is no planned internet interruption.
