Onmanorama Explains | Gen Z protest in Nepal: Is it just about social media ban?

For a generation notoriously glued to their phones, what happens when social media platforms are taken away altogether? This isn’t a parent taking away a phone for misuse; it’s a government cutting off an entire nation’s connection to the outside world. In Nepal, the recent social media ban sparked violent unrest, with at least 19 people killed and many more injured as thousands of people flooded the streets in defiance. But are these young people really protesting just a social media ban?

Nepal had blocked access to more than two dozen major platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp and X, after they failed to comply with new government regulations. The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology instructed the telecom regulator to deactivate unregistered platforms. The ban was lifted late on Monday after the protest threatened to escalate.

Why did the government impose the ban?
Authorities say social media was being misused for fake accounts, hate speech, misinformation, fraud and other crimes. A 2023 directive required platforms to register locally, appoint grievance redressal officers and ensure compliance. Despite repeated notices, most major companies missed the deadline.

Which platforms are affected?
The ban covered Meta’s Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, Alphabet’s YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Pinterest, Quora and Snapchat. Only a handful, including TikTok and Viber, have completed registration.

How did the public respond?
The move has triggered widespread anger and violent protests. In Kathmandu and other cities, thousands of young people took to the streets. At least 19 people were killed and dozens were injured in clashes with police, who used batons, water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. A curfew was imposed in the capital on Monday.

“We run our business through Facebook, and if it is closed, our business will be affected,” Jenisha Joshi, who sells jewellery online, told AFP. Others pointed out that the shutdown cuts off contact with relatives working abroad.

Rights groups and opposition leaders argue the decision curtails free speech. “It is not wrong to regulate social media, but a sudden closure like this is controlling,” said Bholanath Dhungana of Digital Rights Nepal. The Committee to Protect Journalists also warned that the ban could set a “dangerous precedent” for press freedom.

A user named Gitcatto, claiming to be from Nepal, wrote on Reddit, “My country is slowly turning into fascism while trying to control free speech in the name of ‘social harmony and obscenity.’ Many parents only know how to call their children abroad through Messenger. News is already controlled here.”

Another Reddit user who visited Nepal last year remarked: “Nearly everyone I met was using Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram to interact with tourists. Not sure how they’ll run that now.”

In another post, user yuukiee-q argued that protests were not just about the social media ban. “Even Nepali media has twisted the narrative to it being just a ‘Gen Z’ protest so that the older demographic is excluded.” The user also alleged deep-rooted corruption involving politicians, their families and public figures flaunting unexplained wealth.

“This is the state of my country,” the post concluded. “A country where the corrupt loot and flaunt freely while the poor are powerless to even speak against it.”

Many people in Nepal think corruption is rampant, and opponents have criticised the government of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli for failing to deliver on its promises to tackle graft or make progress in addressing longstanding economic issues.
(With inputs from AFP and Reuters)