The Nepalese government lifted its ban on social media platforms after tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest, reaching the parliament building on September 8. In the aftermath, 19 people were killed and at least 150 were wounded by police response.
The decision to remove the ban was taken by the government on September 9, together with a curfew and the closure of schools in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital. Despite this, small protests erupted in the capital to complain against the September 8 killings. But police did not use force this time.The now-lifted ban blocked all social media platforms that were not officially registered in Nepal.
This included Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, as well as X (formerly Twitter). For its part, TikTok had registered and continued operating. Nepal is not the only government to attempt blocking social media platforms.
Indeed, around the world, many governments have restricted social media platforms. Often it's because of political turmoil, such as protests, elections, or military activity. Other reasons are to combat disinformation, national security concerns, data privacy, or cultural sensitivity. Some of these restrictions are long term and ongoing, while—as in Nepal’s case—others are more sporadic.
Curious to learn more? Click on to discover the countries that have banned X, TikTok, and/or Facebook.