Nepal Bans Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and 23 Other Social Media Platforms; Gen Z Floods Kathmandu Streets

Nepal Social Media Ban: Nepal has imposed a ban on Meta-owned platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more than a dozen other major social media sites, accusing them of failing to comply with local regulations. The government took this action after these platforms did not register under the country’s new social media laws enforced by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.

Following the ban, thousands of young protesters and GEN Z gathered at multiple locations across the country, with some attempting to enter the Parliament building in Kathmandu.

The violent protest in the capital, which has claimed at least one life, has been described as a Gen Z demonstration, involving individuals born between 1995 and 2010. According to a notice from the ministry, social media companies were given seven days from August 28 to complete their registration. (Also Read: WhatsApp Down In India: Users Unable To Send Messages Or Post Status Updates; Netizens React)

However, when the deadline expired on Wednesday night, none of the major platforms—including Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), Alphabet (YouTube), X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and LinkedIn—had submitted their applications.

Videos shared online show large crowds marching through the streets, waving national flags, and chanting slogans. These clips are being widely circulated on TikTok, one of the social media platforms that remains accessible. 

Nepal Social Media Ban: Full List of Apps

All major social media and communication platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Messenger, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Reddit, Discord, Pinterest, Signal, Threads, WeChat, Quora, Tumblr, Clubhouse, Rumble, Mi Video, Mi Vike, Line, Imo, Jalo, Sol, and Hamro Patro—will stay blocked until they complete the required registration process. Meanwhile, the officials said TikTok, Viber, Witk, Nimbuzz, and Popo Live have been registered, while Telegram and Global Diary are still awaiting approval.