After violent protests, Nepal government lifts ban on social media

The Nepal government on Monday announced that it has withdrawn its earlier decision to ban social media sites amid violent protests by youths that left at least 19 people dead and over 300 others injured. Nepal Minister for Communication, Information and Broadcasting Prithvi Subba Gurung announced that the government has withdrawn its earlier decision to ban social media sites following an emergency meeting of the Cabinet.

Gurung said the Ministry of Information has ordered the concerned agencies to start the process of resuming the social media sites as per the demands of the ‘Gen Z’, which spearheaded a massive protest in front of the Parliament in the heart of Kathmandu. Three days ago, the Nepal government had ordered to ban 26 social media sites, including Facebook and ‘X’ over their failure to register with the Nepal government.

The minister also requested the protesting 'Gen Z' group to withdraw their protest programme. The demonstration on Monday turned violent when some protesters protesters entered the Parliament complex, prompting police to use water cannons, tear gas, and live rounds to disperse crowds, eyewitnesses said.Meanwhile, social media sites such as Facebook, ‘X’ and WhatsApp have come back into operation from Monday night.

The Gen Z protest has spread beyond Kathmandu, with large demonstrations reported in Biratnagar, Chitwan, Jhapa, and Rupandehi, many of which have turned confrontational. The protest erupted following a nationwide ban on unregistered social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube, enforced from the 4th of September.