Nepal lifts social media ban after violent Gen Z protests leave 19 dead

Nepal’s government has rescinded its ban on 26 major social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, and X, after protests led predominantly by Generation Z turned violent and resulted in 19 deaths and over 100 injuries.

The government initially imposed the ban the previous week under a directive demanding social media platforms register locally and comply with content oversight regulations.

Platforms that failed to register were blocked. Critics denounced the move as a dangerous step toward censorship and suppression of free expression.

Mass protests quickly spread as thousands of youth, many in school or college uniforms, took to the streets in cities like Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Itahari.

Demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Unban social media" and "Shut down corruption, not online platforms." Several crowds broke through police barricades, with some advancing toward the Parliament building. Security forces used water cannon, tear gas, rubber bullets, and in some instances, live ammunition to disperse the crowds.

Authorities responded by imposing curfews in Kathmandu’s New Baneshwor, Bhaktapur, and other districts. The Nepali Army was deployed to reinforce police efforts and maintain order amid escalating tensions.

Responding to the tragic outcome, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli expressed regret over the loss of life and committed to compensating victims’ families, providing free medical care, and forming an inquiry panel within 15 days. He attributed the unrest in part to external interference.