What’s Behind The Deadly Protests In Nepal? It’s More Than Just A Social Media Ban

Last Updated:September 08, 2025, 16:26 IST

Nine people have been killed as Nepal’s sweeping social media ban sparks its biggest youth-led demonstrations in years, with anger spilling far beyond blocked apps

By blocking the 26 social platforms, the KP Oli government in Nepal is narrowing the digital space where citizens can speak freely. (Reuters Photo)

Nepal Protest: Kathmandu has erupted in unrest after the government ordered a blanket shutdown of social media platforms. On Monday, students in school and college uniforms poured into the capital’s streets, waving national flags and chanting slogans such as “Stop the ban on social media" and “Shut down corruption, not social media."

Crowds tried to breach barbed wire barricades outside Parliament, forcing riot police to retreat inside the complex. Protesters set fires near Parliament’s gates, stormed restricted zones in New Baneshwar, the neighbourhood that houses Nepal’s Federal Parliament, where they clashed with security forces using tear gas, batons, water cannons and rubber bullets.

Nepal Police confirmed that nine people have been killed and dozens injured as demonstrations escalated into violent clashes, reported ANI. Hospitals across the capital are treating scores of wounded protesters, while activists set up makeshift first-aid camps in Maitighar.

A protester told ANI: “We were planning to hold a peaceful protest, but as we advanced further, we could see the violence by the police. The police are firing on the people, which is against the essence of peaceful protest… anti-corruption protests are being suppressed, which is against the freedom of speech and the right to expression."

Another demonstrator described the firing as indiscriminate: “A while ago, the police fired bullets which did not hit me but hit a friend of mine standing behind me. He was shot in the hand… My friend, who was standing on the road, was shot in the head. The police are firing indiscriminately, aiming above the knees. Are they allowed to do this?"

What Sparked The Outrage?

The immediate trigger was Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s decision last week to block 26 major social media platforms and messaging apps. The government said companies had ignored repeated notices to register with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology under new rules.

The order came into effect from Thursday midnight. Only a handful of platforms, including TikTok, Viber, Witk, Nimbuzz and Popo Live, complied and remain accessible. Telegram and Global Diary are still under review.

Millions of Nepalis suddenly found themselves locked out of daily tools of communication. Users saw messages such as “This site can’t be reached" and “Safari can’t connect to the server."

But the protests were primed long before the ban. In the weeks leading up to it, social media had been flooded with viral posts under hashtags like #NepoKids and #NepoBabies, contrasting the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children — luxury cars, designer clothes, foreign trips — with the hardships of ordinary citizens facing inflation, unemployment and failing services. The imagery turned abstract grievances about inequality into sharp, personal outrage that digital natives carried from phones to the streets.

Which Social Media Platforms Were Banned?

The shutdown is sweeping in scale. Apps blocked include Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Snapchat, Reddit, Discord, Pinterest, Signal, Threads, WeChat, Quora, Tumblr, Clubhouse, Rumble, Mi Video, Mi Vike, Line, Imo, Jalo, Sol and Hamro Patro.

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority was instructed to disable access to unregistered platforms. Ministry spokesperson Gajendra Kumar Thakur said any service that completes registration would be restored the same day.

Why Did The Government Impose The Ban?

Officials insist the restrictions are about sovereignty and safety. According to Reuters, authorities said unregistered platforms were being misused, with fake IDs spreading hate speech, misinformation, fraud and cybercrime.

In a speech on Sunday, Oli declared: “The independence of the nation is greater than the loss of jobs of a handful of individuals. How can it be acceptable to defy the law, disregard the constitution, and disrespect national dignity, independence, and sovereignty?"

The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology stressed that global tech companies had failed to meet the seven-day registration deadline set by court order.

At the same time, the government has introduced a draft bill in Parliament that would go further, requiring platforms to set up liaison offices in Nepal, pay taxes, and delete content the authorities deem harmful to “national interest" or “social harmony." AP reported that critics see this proposed law as a tool to tighten censorship and punish government opponents.

How Did The Protests Spread?

What began as outrage over blocked apps quickly escalated into a digital-age revolt. Youth activists used alternative platforms such as TikTok and Reddit to coordinate, despite phone and internet blackouts. Viral hashtags like #NepoKid and #NepoBabies helped mobilise support, while organisers urged students to join marches in uniforms carrying books, a deliberate choice to emphasise this as a youth-led movement about the future.

Protests have spread beyond Kathmandu to towns such as Pokhara, Biratnagar, Dharan and Damak, signalling how deep the frustrations run. Demonstrators have blocked the army’s advance, clashed with security forces in New Baneshwar, and set fires near Parliament’s gates. The District Administration Office imposed a curfew around central Kathmandu, with boundaries stretching from New Baneshwar Chowk to Bijulibazar Arch Bridge, Min Bhawan and Tinkune Chowk.

What Are Protesters Demanding?

The anger goes far beyond app access. For many young Nepalis, the ban was the final straw after years of frustration over corruption, inequality and lack of accountability.

“We were triggered by the social media ban, but that is not the only reason we are gathered here," student Yujan Rajbhandari, 24, told AFP. “We are protesting against corruption that has been institutionalised in Nepal."

Another student, Ikshama Tumrok, 20, called the movement resistance to the government’s “authoritarian attitude," while activist Bhumika Bharati said leaders feared the power of collective youth action.

Placards carried through the streets summed it up: “Unban social media," “Shut down corruption, not social media," and “Youths against corruption."

Why Are Rights Groups Concerned?

The Committee to Protect Journalists warned that Nepal’s action set a “dangerous precedent for press freedom," The Guardian reported. Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia programme director, said the move risks cutting off journalists from platforms they rely on for reporting and undermines the public’s right to information.

Journalists in Kathmandu staged their own protest, holding placards with slogans such as “No shutdown of social networks, no silencing of voices" and “Democracy hacked, authoritarianism back."

What Is The Wider Impact On Nepal?

The shutdown has paralysed daily communication for millions and hurt sectors that depend on online platforms. Tourism operators, who rely heavily on social media to reach customers, report severe disruption. Families are struggling to stay connected with the seven million Nepalis living abroad for work and study.

Senior journalist Pralhad Rijal said the ban directly affects these youth abroad, cutting them off from families back home, India Today reported.

The IT industry is also alarmed. The Nepal Association for Software & IT Services warned that the restrictions complicate outsourcing, digital marketing and client communication. “This kind of unpredictability sends the wrong message to investors," NAS-IT’s founding president Rijan Shrestha told Asia News Network.

What Next For Nepal?

The Oli government faces its biggest challenge yet as Gen Z protesters show no sign of retreating. For many, this movement is about more than regaining access to Facebook or YouTube; it has become a fight for transparency, accountability and democratic freedoms.

With nine lives lost already, and eyewitness accounts accusing police of indiscriminate firing, the crisis has moved far beyond a dispute over app registration. The coming days will determine whether the government engages in dialogue or doubles down on its hardline approach.

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