Nepal Gen Z Protest Against Curbs On Social Media, Internet Ban and Corruption

Kathmandu, Nepal: As protests in Nepal intensify following the government's social media ban in the capital, Kathmandu, last week, a curfew has been imposed in New Baneshwor, the city’s largest residential area, after youth protesters breached restricted zones.

Social media users identifying as "Gen-Z" called for a nationwide protest on Monday, September 8, against the Nepal’s government sweeping ban on Facebook, YouTube and X, sparking one of the country’s biggest youth-led uprisings in years. Earlier, social media leaflets and posts urged people to gather in Baneshwor, near the federal parliament, to pressure the government to reverse its decision to shut down social media platforms.

The protests erupted after 26 social media apps were banned in Nepal. Youth have taken to the streets demanding good governance, with actors and singers voicing solidarity and encouraging participation. They are protesting against the perceived rampant corruption of the KP Sharma Oli government.

Thousands of young people, many of them students, have flooded the streets of Kathmandu, Ithari and other cities, chanting against corruption and demanding an immediate end to the ban. The movement, quickly branded the “Gen Z revolution,” has spread through word of mouth and encrypted apps, as the usual digital lifelines remain shut down.

Footage on local TV showed crowds confronting police outside government buildings and blocking key roads. In the capital, some protesters even forced their way into parliament, a dramatic sign of frustration at what many see as a government unwilling to listen.

The prime minister defended the move as something done “deliberately and with thought,” but critics say it’s an attack on free expression in a country where young people rely heavily on social media to connect, debate and organise.

For many of those on the streets, the blackout is just the tipping point. Years of unemployment, poor governance and persistent corruption have left a generation feeling betrayed.

“This isn’t just about Facebook or YouTube,” said one protester in Kathmandu. “It’s about our future. We’re tired of being ignored.”

Police are struggling to contain the protests, which show no sign of ending. For Nepal’s restless Gen Z, the message is clear: they want their voices back — online and on the streets.

Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse crowds attempting to enter the Nepali Parliament premises.

The curfew has since been extended to other areas of Kathmandu, with restrictions imposed near the residences of the president, prime minister, vice-president, and Singha Durbar.Many celebrities have joined the protests in support of the Gen-Z protesters.

On Sunday, numerous Nepali journalists protested the social media ban, led by former office bearers and members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, the umbrella organization for journalists in Nepal. They carried placards with slogans such as "#NoBan," "Freedom of Expression Is Our Right," "The People’s Voice Cannot Be Silenced," and "Democracy Is Being Hacked, Dictatorship Is Coming Back."

The government claims that social media platforms are not complying with its administrative orders and registration provisions. It issued an order to the Nepal Telecommunication Authority, which subsequently directed all internet service providers (ISPs) to ban major social media platforms. "We are here to protest against this government order," Taranath Dahal, former president of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, told ANI.

Public anger is growing in Nepal over the government’s decision to shut down over two dozen social media platforms, which it claims is an effort to tax their revenue and control content critical of the government. Social media sites went offline after midnight on September 4.The government justifies its actions by citing repeated warnings to platforms to establish offices in Nepal, a Cabinet decision last month setting a deadline, and a Supreme Court ruling on August 17 requiring registration and tax compliance.

However, the bill cited in the ban, The Operation, Use, and Regulation of Social Media in Nepal, has not yet been passed by Parliament. Some social media platforms, which were already paying taxes in Nepal despite not being officially registered, have also been blocked.

"The incumbent government is attempting to control social media; this is not regulation but an attempt to exert complete control. The Constitution of Nepal-2072 ensures absolute media freedom and freedom of expression, but the government’s latest move violates the essence of the constitution and its provisions," Ram Hari Karki, president of the Lalitpur branch of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, told ANI.

Currently, platforms such as Viber, TikTok, WeTalk, and Nimbuzz are registered in Nepal, while Telegram and Global Diary are in the process of registering. Widely used platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp have yet to initiate registration.

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