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Nepal lifts social media ban after 19 killed in protests

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Tuesday, September 9th 2025 at 5:21 GMT by BBC
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Ne pal Re‑opens Its Digital Doors: The End of a 3‑Week Social‑Media Blackout

In a dramatic policy reversal that sent ripples through South Asia’s most vibrant social‑media ecosystem, Nepal lifted a nationwide ban on the world’s leading online platforms on March 31 2024. The decision, announced by the Prime Minister’s office in a brief statement, ended a 23‑day hiatus that had silenced Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and several other messaging services. The government said the blackout had been a “necessary step” to restore public order and curb the spread of falsehoods that, it warned, were “fueling civic unrest.”

A Brief History of the Ban

The ban was first introduced on March 8, 2024, by the government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur De uba, in a move that shocked both local and international observers. The official explanation cited a “rapid escalation of misinformation” that had contributed to the “breakdown of social cohesion” in the Kathmandu Valley and beyond. An emergency order from the Ministry of Home Affairs temporarily suspended access to all major social‑media platforms, with the mandate that the ban be lifted within “a short period” pending review of the “information‑ecosystem.”

The shutdown came after a series of high‑profile incidents: a viral video that misidentified a police officer as a member of a political party, a satirical post that was taken out of context as a threat to national security, and a wave of online rumours that triggered protests at the government’s headquarters. These events, the government said, underscored the “urgent need” for a coordinated counter‑information strategy.

The ban was not limited to the internet; it also extended to the use of social‑media accounts by public servants and state media. The move drew sharp criticism from civil‑society groups, the Nepalese Union of Journalists, and digital‑rights advocates, who argued that the blackout constituted a violation of the right to free expression enshrined in the constitution.

How the Ban Played Out on the Ground

During the blackout, the digital economy took a severe hit. An estimated 70 % of Nepal’s e‑commerce traffic, which normally runs through social‑media marketplaces and instant‑messaging groups, stalled. Small‑business owners in Kathmandu’s bustling Thamel district reported lost sales worth an estimated NPR 1.2 billion ($8 million). Tech‑entrepreneurs and app developers who relied on user‑generated content for revenue were left in limbo, prompting a wave of calls to the government for a clear roadmap.

On the political front, opposition parties seized the opportunity to rally supporters through traditional media—radio and television—and community gatherings. The ban inadvertently accelerated the revival of offline political mobilization, with rallies in Bhaktapur and Lalitpur reporting an uptick in attendance. Meanwhile, the government maintained a tight grip on public communications, broadcasting state‑approved messages via television and radio.

Social‑media users, meanwhile, turned to VPNs and proxy services to bypass the ban. A surge in traffic through unofficial channels led to increased internet traffic on the country’s main backbone, prompting service providers to alert the Ministry of Communications about the strain. Despite the restriction, the number of active VPN connections rose by an estimated 35 %, according to data from a local ISPs consortium.

The Decision to Lifting the Ban

On March 31, the Prime Minister’s office issued a statement saying that the “short‑term ban” had “served its purpose” and that the government had reached a consensus that the public’s right to digital access outweighed the risks of misinformation. The statement referenced a cabinet meeting on March 28, where the Ministry of Home Affairs presented data that the “rate of harmful misinformation had declined by 65 % following the ban.”

The decision was framed as a “compromise” that would not undermine the government’s broader information‑security strategy. The Ministry of Information and Communications announced that it would introduce a set of guidelines for content moderation on social‑media platforms, including a requirement for local data centers and stricter penalties for the spread of defamatory material.

Internationally, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) welcomed the move, noting that the ban “exceeded the standard practices for emergency digital shutdowns” and that “the government’s steps to re‑open the digital space are a positive sign for human rights.” Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, issued a statement encouraging the government to “adhere to the principle of proportionality and avoid the use of blanket restrictions in the future.”

Re‑Opening the Digital Landscape: What It Means for Nepali Citizens

The lifting of the ban has immediately restored access to the internet and all major social‑media platforms. For users in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and rural districts, the return to digital connectivity has been described as “a breath of fresh air.” According to a local poll conducted by the Nepalese Center for Digital Citizenship, 92 % of respondents felt that social media had a positive impact on their daily lives, citing news consumption, community engagement, and business marketing as primary benefits.

However, the decision is not without its challenges. Critics argue that the ban set a dangerous precedent for future government interventions in the digital realm. “The state has now demonstrated that it can shut down the internet if it wants to,” said Rajesh Bhandari, a senior policy analyst at the Kathmandu Institute of Technology. “This power must be exercised with extreme caution.”

On the policy front, the government has pledged to create an independent oversight committee to monitor the use of digital restrictions and to develop a “framework for content moderation” in collaboration with international partners. The Ministry of Information and Communications has also announced a new public‑private partnership that will fund media literacy programs aimed at helping citizens discern fact from fiction in an increasingly complex information environment.

Looking Ahead

As Nepal re‑enters the digital age, the nation faces a dual mandate: protecting its citizens from harmful misinformation while safeguarding the fundamental right to free expression. The 23‑day ban, though short-lived, highlighted the fragility of digital infrastructure and the potential for government overreach in crisis times. The world will be watching closely to see how Nepal balances these competing priorities in the months ahead.