Nepal lifts social media ban after 19 killed in protests

In a desperate attempt to quell the escalating violence and public fury, Nepal's government has reversed its controversial ban on social media, a decision that has already cost 19 lives and brought the country to the brink of political chaos. The move comes as a direct result of a "Gen Z" revolution, a youth-led protest movement that has paralyzed Kathmandu and other major cities, demanding not only digital freedom but an end to systemic corruption and a complete overhaul of the political establishment. The abrupt reversal is a stark admission of the government's miscalculation, as what was intended to silence dissent instead ignited a firestorm of protest and a national crisis.
The initial ban, which saw 26 social media platforms including Facebook, X, and YouTube blocked, was implemented under the pretext of curbing misinformation and fraud and was rooted in a new regulation requiring these companies to register with the government. However, the timing of the ban was a flashpoint, as it coincided with a viral online movement led by young Nepalis who were using social media to expose the lavish and unearned wealth of the children of politicians—dubbed "nepo kids." This online campaign, which had already tapped into deep-seated public anger over economic hardship and official corruption, was suddenly given a physical and deadly outlet.
The government's heavy-handed attempt to suppress freedom of expression backfired spectacularly. The digital outrage, unable to find an outlet online, spilled onto the streets. On Monday, thousands of young demonstrators, organized in part through the very social media they were now protesting for, converged on Kathmandu, defying a curfew and clashing with security forces. The protests turned deadly when police, responding with lethal force, fired live ammunition, tear gas, and rubber bullets into the crowds. The death toll rapidly climbed, with initial reports of a handful of casualties giving way to a final tally of at least 19 dead and hundreds more injured. The violence shocked the nation and galvanized the protest movement, turning a demand for a simple policy reversal into a full-scale uprising.
The government's concession to lift the ban was announced by Minister of Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung, who stated that the government had "withdrawn" its decision following an emergency cabinet meeting. Gurung appealed to the "Gen Z" protestors to end their agitation, a plea that has largely fallen on deaf ears. While some of the major social media platforms have been restored, the public's demands have now escalated far beyond the initial issue. The protests are no longer just about the ban; they are a direct and visceral rejection of a political system that many young Nepalis view as corrupt, unresponsive, and brutal.
This political crisis has already claimed high-profile casualties. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned, citing "moral responsibility" for the deaths, and Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has also stepped down. Protesters, emboldened by the government's concessions, have set fire to the private residences of the Prime Minister and other senior political figures, demonstrating the complete breakdown of public trust. The "Gen Z" movement has now issued a new set of demands, including the dissolution of parliament, the mass resignation of all parliamentarians, and an independent investigation into the use of lethal force against demonstrators.
The events unfolding in Nepal are a powerful testament to the influence of a connected generation and the dangerous feedback loop between online censorship and real-world protest. The government, in its effort to silence a digital movement, inadvertently gave it a physical and deadly voice. The lifting of the social media ban is a significant victory for the protestors, but it is unlikely to be the final chapter in this unfolding political drama. The youth of Nepal, having witnessed their friends and peers killed for exercising their right to protest, have now put the entire political establishment on notice. They have shown that the fight for digital freedom is intrinsically linked to the larger struggle for political accountability and justice, and they are not backing down.
Source@BBC