Nepal has scrapped a sweeping block on major social networks days after imposing it, reversing course amid youth-led demonstrations that spiraled into deadly clashes. Communications and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung announced the rollback following nationwide protests in which at least 19 people were reported killed and more than 100 injured, according to local media.
The government had restricted access to 26 platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, after foreign tech firms missed a new requirement to register operations in Nepal and appoint a local point of contact. The swift U-turn underscores both the political risk of abrupt internet controls and the centrality of social media to daily life for a young, digitally connected population.
A sweeping block and a fast reversal
The ban stemmed from an administrative directive demanding that global platforms register locally within seven days and accept legal notices through an in-country representative. When most did not comply within the deadline, telecom operators were ordered to block access. Some services, notably TikTok and Rakuten Group-owned Viber, were reportedly not affected because they had completed registration.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli framed the unrest as being inflamed by “infiltration by certain elements,” while insisting the government was not opposed to the concerns of the new generation. The message signaled a pragmatic retreat rather than a policy reversal on platform accountability—an effort to lower the temperature without abandoning the regulatory push.
Public pressure and rights concerns
Protesters—many of them students—rallied in Kathmandu and provincial centers to demand restoration of social media access, which they framed as essential for communication, news, and livelihoods. Human rights organizations warned that blanket restrictions violated fundamental freedoms and risked escalating tensions rather than resolving them.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called on authorities to safeguard freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Amnesty International echoed those concerns, urging proportional and lawful responses to public demonstrations. Freedom House has consistently rated Nepal’s internet environment as “Partly Free,” and experts cautioned that shutdown-style policies could further erode the country’s openness scores.
A high-stakes bet on platform regulation
Nepal’s registration mandate is part of a broader agenda to bring global platforms under domestic jurisdiction—covering legal notice acceptance, expedited cooperation on content takedowns, and potential taxation. A pending social media bill goes further, proposing prison terms and hefty fines for content deemed to undermine national sovereignty or the public interest, a standard criticized by the International Federation of Journalists as overly broad and prone to abuse.
Legal scholars in Kathmandu note that Nepal’s constitution protects freedom of expression but allows restrictions on grounds such as national security. The challenge is proportionality: rules must be precise, necessary, and subject to judicial oversight. Sudden, nationwide blocks—especially when used as a compliance lever—rarely meet that test, rights lawyers argue, and can chill legitimate speech alongside harmful content.
What changes now for tech firms and users
The reversal restores access, but it does not resolve the underlying standoff. Companies that have not registered still face pressure to designate local representatives and clarify how they will handle government requests. The Nepal Telecommunications Authority, which supervises operators, is expected to refine technical guidelines that stop short of blanket blocks while enabling lawful requests and transparency reporting.
For users, especially small businesses, creators, and civil society groups, the episode was a reminder of how fragile digital access can be. Nepal’s internet economy is heavily mobile-first; subscription-based indicators from the regulator suggest connectivity reaches most of the population, even if many rely on shared devices or multiple SIMs. When platforms go dark, sales pipelines, community organizing, and diaspora links are disrupted within hours.
A regional warning sign
South Asia has become a hotspot for information controls during unrest. Access Now’s KeepItOn coalition has documented repeated platform blocks and network shutdowns in the region, and independent observatories have shown that such measures seldom quell protests, often hardening public sentiment instead. Nepal’s swift climbdown fits that pattern: digital blackouts are blunt tools with high social and economic costs.
The government now faces a difficult balance: securing cooperation from global platforms on lawful requests and harmful content while protecting fundamental rights. Constructive steps could include clear notice-and-appeal processes, independent oversight of takedown demands, and regular transparency reports from both the state and platforms. Without those guardrails, Nepal risks repeat flashpoints—and another costly collision between regulation and digital life.