Social media ban: After violent protests, Nepal restores Facebook, X; minister cites emergency cabinet decision

The Nepal authorities lifted the ban on social media after hundreds of younger Nepalis took to the streets of Kathmandu to protest. Nepal’s communication and data minister Prithvi Subba Gurung on Sunday stated the federal government has rolled again its decision to ban social media platforms after an emergency Cabinet assembly, PTI reported. He introduced that companies have been directed to revive entry to the platforms, days after authorities ordered 26 websites, together with Facebook and X, to be blocked for not registering with the federal government. The reversal got here after large-scale protests in Kathmandu, led by ‘Gen Z’ demonstrators who had camped outdoors Parliament. Gurung appealed to the group to name off their agitation. The protests turned violent on Monday when some individuals breached the Parliament complicated, forcing police to make use of water cannons, tear gasoline, and reside rounds to disperse them, eyewitnesses stated. According to the PTI, clashes between protesters and police left 19 folks lifeless and greater than 300 others injured.The demonstrations, largely pushed by the youth, erupted after the controversial decision was introduced, with police resorting to firing at a number of places to disperse crowds.The India-Nepal border has been placed on alert a protests in Nepal, ANI reported, citing sources. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which guards the border, has stepped up vigilance and is carefully monitoring developments to stop any spillover of unrest into Indian territory. Officials harassed that the alert is “preventive in nature” and that the scenario stays beneath management.Nepal’s house minister resignsNepal’s house minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned after violent protests, in response to PTI citing Nepali Congress sources. Lekhak, a Nepali Congress chief within the coalition authorities, stepped down on “moral grounds” amid nationwide outrage. The protests, led largely by youths, shook Kathmandu and a number of other different cities earlier than turning lethal.Why have been platforms banned? The blackout, which started Friday, adopted a authorities order blocking 26 social media platforms for failing to register regionally. The listing included Facebook, Instagram, X (previously Twitter), YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Reddit. At a Cabinet assembly chaired by Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, firms got seven days to satisfy compliance guidelines: register with the ministry, appoint a grievance officer, identify a compliance officer, and arrange some extent of contact in Nepal. While some apps resembling TikTok, Viber, Wetalk, and Nimbuzz have registered — and Telegram and Global Diary are within the course of — main world platforms have but to conform. Officials stated entry might be restored as soon as necessities are met. The decision got here after a Supreme Court ruling in September 2024 directing stricter oversight of unlicensed platforms, OTT apps, and browsers. A joint bench of Justices Tek Prasad Dhungana and Shanti Singh Thapa had upheld petitions in search of regulation of adverts and content material. Nepal’s blackout mirrors a world pattern, with governments from the US and EU to India, Brazil, China, and Australia tightening controls on Big Tech amid issues over misinformation, privateness, on-line security, and nationwide safety.