Nepal’s government has banned access to more than two dozen social media and messaging platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, citing non-compliance with new registration rules.
The move went into effect at midnight on Thursday and has sparked widespread unrest, drawing criticism for restricting communication and press freedom.
The directive affected 26 platforms that failed to register under the newly introduced regulations. Officials said the companies had been given a seven-day deadline to comply with a court order requiring registration. Only five met the requirement.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology then ordered service providers to deactivate the rest.
The abrupt shutdown disrupted businesses, tourism, and personal communication nationwide. With platforms like LinkedIn, Reddit, Pinterest, and Signal also offline, many Nepalis were left without essential communication tools.
TikTok, which complied with the registration demand, remained active and was quickly used to coordinate mass demonstrations. Videos posted on the app highlighting inequality and government excesses have fueled public outrage.
Youth-led protests turn violent
Protests broke out on Monday in Kathmandu and several smaller cities, led largely by young demonstrators. What began as peaceful rallies against the government’s social media ban escalated into violent clashes.
Protesters attempted to breach barriers near the parliament building in Kathmandu, with some setting fire to its front gate.
🚨CLOSE VISUAL OF THE NEPAL PROTEST🚨
– GOVT banned almost all social media apps, including WhatsApp and Youtube.
– The protest is definitely justified! Restricting all social media apps means having a digital jail.#Nepal | #SocialMediaBan pic.twitter.com/i3SH4EIixm— Kshitij (@Kshitij45__) September 8, 2025
Police responded with force, using live ammunition, rubber bullets, batons, tear gas, and water cannons. The confrontation left at least 19 people dead, most with gunshot wounds to the head or chest, according to police.
Two of the fatalities occurred in the eastern city of Itahari. Over 200 others were injured and are being treated at hospitals.
The unrest has been widely described as a youth-led movement, often referred to as the “Gen Z protest.”
Many participants, including students in school uniforms, voiced broader concerns about corruption and creeping authoritarianism under Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Placards bearing slogans such as “Youths Against Corruption” were visible across protest sites.
International reaction and government pushback
International responses have been swift. The United Nations expressed shock over the violence and called for a prompt and transparent investigation.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN human rights office, emphasized the need for accountability following the killings.
On Sunday, journalists in Kathmandu staged their own protest, opposing the shutdown of digital platforms and calling it an attack on press freedom. The Committee to Protect Journalists warned that such actions could set a dangerous precedent.
By Monday night, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned amid mounting pressure over the police response.
While Nepal has generally upheld free expression, critics argue that recent moves by the Oli government suggest a troubling shift toward tighter state control.
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