Following the Nepal government’s ban on social media platforms, the “Gen Z Protest” has shaken the authorities, with the rallying cry of the struggling Nepali youth being “Ban Corruption, Not Connection.”
SNPNEWS.IN News Update Sep 2025: Protests against the social media ban in Nepal gained momentum in Kathmandu on September 8, 2025. The Nepal government had set a seven-day deadline starting August 28, 2025, requiring social media platforms to register under new regulations issued by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. Due to non-compliance, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority ordered mobile and internet service providers to block 26 social media platforms on September 4, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, X, and others.
The government justified this decision as a regulatory measure to curb the misuse of these platforms, citing issues like misinformation, fake viral messages, cyberbullying, and foreign interference. The regulations mandated that platforms register with Nepali authorities and comply with local data laws.
In response, thousands of youths, particularly from Generation Z (aged 18-25), took to the streets, protesting not only the ban but also widespread corruption in the country. Demonstrators gathered in the Maitighar area, holding banners with slogans like “Lift the Social Media Ban” and “Stop Corruption.”
The situation turned violent when protesters attempted to enter a restricted zone near the Parliament building. Police used tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets, resulting in at least 19 deaths and over 50 injuries. Some sources report the death toll as ranging between 13 and 19.
The government imposed a curfew in Kathmandu and deployed the army. Protesters called the ban an attack on freedom of expression, while the government insisted that platforms must comply with regulations to lift the ban. The protests spread to other cities in Nepal, with youths using platforms like TikTok, Viber, and VPNs to organize their demonstrations.
Critics view the ban as a tool to suppress a growing public uprising against Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s government, which is facing increasing allegations of corruption. The protests, sparked by the social media ban, have escalated into a broader movement addressing corruption, economic inequality, and political instability.
Protesters are not only demanding the reversal of the ban but also holding the Oli government accountable for these systemic issues.