VPNs, Discord & more: How Nepal’s Gen Z mobilised protests amid social media ban

Large protests led mostly by teenagers and young adults shook Nepal, forcing the prime minister to step down as the army moved in to secure important sites.

Anger over corruption, inequality and a recent ban on social media forced people, especially Gen Z, to rally against the government.

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The unrest overpowered the security forces as protesters burned government buildings and politicians’ homes, attacked leaders, blocked roads and forced their way into official offices.

Catch all live updates on Nepal protests here . 

Yet one question remained: with social media blocked for a while, how did Gen Z manage to organise such massive demonstrations?

Let’s find out:

How were the protests mobilised?

The demonstrations in Nepal have been described as a Gen Z protest. They were mainly driven by anger over corruption and frustration with nepotism in the country’s politics.

Nepal had blocked 26 social media platforms, including WhatsApp and Facebook, before lifting the ban following the protests.

Still, not every platform was taken down. Some, like TikTok, remained accessible.

Even with restrictions in place, the collective voice of young people broke through and crushed the security forces.

Here are some of the ways Gen Z organised the protests:

VPNs

The earlier social media ban triggered a huge rush for virtual private networks (VPNs). Sign-ups in Nepal shot up by 6,000 per cent within just three days.

By the fifth day after the ban took full effect on September 4, the surge had risen to 8,000 per cent.

Proton VPN, a Swiss-based provider, wrote on X, “Proton VPN sign-ups originating in Nepal continue to accelerate: 500% - 6,000% in just 3 days.”

Reports said registrations started increasing on September 3 and soared once the ban was enforced.

VPN services, which allow people to get around location restrictions, became the key tool for people wanting to reconnect online.

TikTok, Reddit helped share information

Although most platforms were blocked, TikTok stayed online as it had registered locally and agreed to follow Nepal’s rules.

This made it a main tool for demonstrators to plan, spread updates and share details of the protests.

One popular TikTok account is said to have played a major role, posting calls for people to gather and giving live updates from Kathmandu.

Other platforms also became important. Reddit hosted debates and shared clips of clashes, while apps like Viber, WeTalk, Nimbuzz and Poppo Live gave people other ways to coordinate.

After the protests, Nepal’s government lifted the ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X, on Monday.

‘Hami Nepal’

One of the main groups behind the protests, Hami Nepal, turned to Instagram and Discord to bring students together. It posted videos explaining “how to protest,” asking participants to carry college bags, bring books and wear their school uniforms if possible.

On Monday, protesters carried a banner reading ‘Youths Against Corruption,’ launched by the NGO. Local reports said officials confirmed that Hami Nepal had been granted approval to organise the protests in Kathmandu.

Hami Nepal is a non-profit group that works on humanitarian relief and disaster response. It also takes up wider social issues, especially those linked to students and migrant workers.

Since Saturday, it has shared four posts about the protest. It also set up groups on Instagram and Discord under the banner ‘Youths Against Corruption’ to coordinate actions.

Before the blackout, Sudan Gurung, president of the youth-led NGO, had already brought thousands of young people onto the streets. The group had circulated protest routes and safety tips.

Much of the coordination happened on Instagram and instant messaging apps, with the organisation continuing to post safety guidance through its servers.

Discord

With most social media platforms blocked, Discord turned into the main hub for the Gen Z-led anti-corruption movement.

Although the app is best known among gamers, it is now widely used for organising community activities.

After protesters were killed on Monday, anger was clear in the ‘Youths Against Corruption’ discussion groups created for the demonstrations.

Many messages called for attacks on politicians, their families, security forces and government officials.

Over time, these calls for violence grew stronger and more direct.

The Discord groups were flooded with posts urging the killing of politicians and the burning of their homes.

Some users also threatened to target Kathmandu airport after rumours spread that Oli planned to leave the country by air. Posts urged people to fly drones, release kites and set off fireworks to disrupt flight operations.

This appears to be the first time Discord has been used to organise a protest on such a large scale.

With inputs from agencies