Social media ban in Nepal triggers Gen Z protest with reported casualties

The Nepal protest, also widely termed as the “Gen Z protest” against the social media ban, took a dark turn with the death toll reaching up to 19. The streets of Kathmandu echoed with chants of “Shut down corruption, not social media!”

What began as a government-imposed ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, on 4th September 2025, quickly transformed into a vocal yet violent protest.

While Nepalese citizens erupted in rage, the official statement from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology was clear. According to the statement, these platforms had failed to comply with local regulations. They were given a seven-day deadline to register their operations in Nepal, appoint a local contact, and designate a grievance officer. Officials also cited the need to curb “hate speech, fake news, and online crimes.”

In this scenario, where popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube were banned, five platforms, including TikTok and Viber, which had previously registered, were conspicuously left untouched.

The Gen Z Revolution

What truly set these protests apart was the sheer dominance of the younger generation. Organisers were quick to dub it the “Gen Z revolution.” A generation raised with smartphones in hand views social media not as a luxury, but as a fundamental utility, a tool for education, connection, commerce, and civic engagement.

Ironically, their mobilisation was also fuelled by a viral online campaign. With major platforms blocked, activists ingeniously leveraged the few still available. Using platforms like TikTok, a digital narrative effectively channelled widespread frustration into a focused target for outrage, directly inspiring the transition from online lament to physical protest.

Organisers spread messages, shared protest locations, and even disseminated safety tips through the platform. This demonstrated a new paradigm in activism: digital outrage seamlessly translated into real-world action.

The Cost of Dissent

The peaceful demonstrations quickly spiralled into tragedy. Reports on the human cost varied widely, reflecting the fog of conflict and a fractured information landscape. While official police reports initially cited 16 deaths, other sources, including local media and protest organisers, claimed figures as high as 19 fatalities and hundreds of injuries, many from bullet wounds.

The question now is whether Nepal's political elite will heed the warnings from its most dynamic demographic, or if this “Gen Z Revolution” is merely the first act in a much longer struggle for accountability and a more inclusive, digital-savvy democracy.