From Nepal’s Gen Z Protests To The Charlie Kirk Murder Case: Why Discord Is In Spotlight

Last Updated:September 15, 2025, 09:39 IST

The app that powered Nepal’s Gen Z protests and turned up in the Charlie Kirk murder case shows how Discord has become central to Gen Z life worldwide

The protest has left over 70 dead (Photo Credit: X)

A chat application once known mainly to gamers has suddenly found itself at the centre of two very different stories. In Nepal, Discord became the unlikely platform where young protesters coordinated demonstrations, forced Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign, and even shaped the choice of an interim leader. In the United States, the same app appeared in evidence during the investigation into the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Together, the episodes underline how Discord, once a niche space for gamers, has evolved into a major platform for Gen Z communities worldwide.

What Is Discord?

Discord was launched in May 2015 by Jason Citron and Stanislav Vishnevskiy. Initially built to give gamers a seamless way to talk while playing, the app has since expanded into a full communication hub. It supports text, voice, and video chats, screen sharing, and large-scale community management.

Conversations take place inside “servers," which are invite-only spaces that can be split into themed channels for structured discussions. Voice channels allow drop-in audio chats that feel less formal than video calls, while permissions and roles give moderators the ability to enforce rules and keep order. Servers can host hundreds of thousands of members, making them suitable for large movements as well as small groups.

By 2024, Discord had over 200 million monthly users. While gaming remains central to its identity, students, coders, creators, and activists have increasingly adopted it as their preferred digital gathering place.

Why Did Nepal’s Gen Z Turn To Discord?

The youth-led protests in Nepal did not begin on Discord. They started with a social media campaign mocking the lifestyles of the children of politicians, nicknamed “NepoKids." Hashtags highlighted designer clothes, foreign holidays, and luxury purchases, contrasting them with the stagnant economy and unemployment faced by ordinary young Nepalis.

The government’s announcement on 3 September that it would block 26 social media platforms dramatically escalated matters. Facebook, YouTube, and X were cut off, while TikTok and Viber remained available. For protesters, the restrictions were seen as an attack on free speech. Demonstrations in Kathmandu and other cities quickly turned violent. Parliament was set on fire, dozens were killed in clashes with police, and by 9 September, Prime Minister Oli had resigned.

With mainstream platforms inaccessible or unreliable, young demonstrators sought alternatives. VPN downloads surged, as did interest in offline messaging tools. But it was Discord that became the primary hub. Its servers allowed protesters to share announcements, organise logistics, and provide emergency support in real time, even during curfews. Channels were dedicated to fact-checking, Q&A, and on-the-ground updates, helping the movement retain momentum despite internet disruptions.

How Discord Became Nepal’s ‘Parliament’

After Oli’s resignation, the protests created a power vacuum. With the cabinet dissolved and the army controlling the streets, attention turned to who could lead an interim government until elections scheduled for March 2026. Discord became the space where thousands of young Nepalis debated potential names.

One server, run by members of the civic group Hami Nepal, grew to more than 1,40,000 members in a matter of days. Discussions were chaotic, with trolls and outsiders occasionally disrupting proceedings, but the format gave young people an unprecedented sense of participation. TV channels and news sites even livestreamed the debates.

Several names were considered, including a national cricketer and a former electricity chief. Eventually, a consensus was built around Sushila Karki, Nepal’s former chief justice. In informal polls on the server, she emerged as the clear favourite. Within days, her candidacy was discussed with military officials, and on 12 September, she was sworn in as the country’s first female prime minister.

For many, the symbolism was striking: a digital forum originally created for gamers had, in effect, functioned as a virtual parliament for a nation in crisis.

Discord And The Charlie Kirk Case

While Nepal’s protesters used Discord to organise political change, the platform also appeared in a far darker episode in the United States. On 10 September, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead during an event at Utah Valley University.

Investigators quickly identified a suspect: Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from Utah. He was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder and other offences. In the days after the shooting, Robinson was still active in a small Discord group of about 20 people. According to the New York Times, when the FBI released grainy surveillance images of a man in a cap and sunglasses, an acquaintance tagged Robinson in the chat and joked that he looked like the suspect. Robinson replied that it was his “doppelganger" trying to get him into trouble. Others teased him further, suggesting they could turn him in to claim the FBI’s reward. Robinson shot back that he would only agree “if I get a cut."

NYT reported that these messages, passed on by someone who knew Robinson from school, offered an unusual window into his behaviour as a nationwide manhunt was underway.

That picture became grimmer once Robinson was arrested. According to Mint, prosecutors said he later confessed to killing Kirk. Officials also began piecing together a broader profile of the suspect. AFP quoted Utah Governor Spencer Cox as saying Robinson had been “radicalised in a fairly short amount of time."

Discord, for its part, said there was no indication that the attack had been planned on its platform. The company confirmed that Robinson’s account was removed once it was flagged.

Why Discord Resonates With Gen Z

The common thread between these two very different episodes is Discord’s popularity among young people. Its community-based design allows large groups to self-organise, whether for entertainment, activism, or simply hanging out. Unlike broadcast platforms, Discord is built around closed communities, which can feel more secure and direct.

For Nepal’s youth, that structure provided a way to coordinate amid a blackout of mainstream platforms. For Robinson, it was simply the space where he and acquaintances chatted regularly. In both cases, Discord’s role reflected its integration into everyday Gen Z life.

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