Inside Nepal’s Gen Z Protest: A Digital Ban Sparks Nepal’s Gen Z To Protest

What began as a ban has now become a battle. Nepal’s Gen Z has gone from scrolling through social media to storming the streets in one of the country’s largest youth-led uprisings in recent memory. The heart of Kathmandu turned into a protest zone as thousands of young demonstrators gathered at Maitighar Mandala and marched toward Parliament, rallying against government censorship, corruption, and what they call a direct attack on digital freedom. The unrest was triggered after the KP Sharma Oli-led government blocked 26 social media platforms—including Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and X—citing a failure to register with the Ministry of Communications. Officials claimed it was a regulatory step to protect users, but for Nepal’s youth, it was a red line—a move seen as an authoritarian crackdown on free speech and online activism. Clashes broke out as protesters breached Parliament’s security, prompting police to use tear gas and water cannons. A curfew was quickly imposed across key areas of the capital. Despite internet blackouts, TikTok and other tools helped fuel the movement now being called the “Gen Z Revolution.”