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Youth protesters in Nepal are in the global spotlight for their angry response to the government's sweeping social media ban in an apparent attempt to silence their dissent. The government's actions ignited mass protests—led largely by Gen Z, a cohort made up of young people born between 1997 and 2012.

The protesters had three key demands: end corruption, end nepotism and reform the country's political systems.

Their uprising led to the , and the protests have since died down.

Why is the Gen Z protest unique?

Nepal's Gen Z movement is different from other movements in Nepal.

First, it is led by young people. Second, social media is their main means of communicating their dissent and their agenda.

These protesters are angry that working-class young people

That's in contrast to the children and grandchildren of Nepal's high-profile elite politicians, accused by the protesters of living in the lap of luxury. , and called for a thorough investigation.

Why are Gen Zs so frustrated?

For a long time,

The , and . in search of work.

that 7.1% of the population was working outside the country and has a median age of 28.

. In fact, estimates suggest that almost .

There is also growing concern about Nepali worker deaths as people take dangerous jobs; more than , which they believe is in stark contrast to the lives of #NepoBabies and #NepoKids.

Gen Z's digital tactics

Some Gen Z social media users tracked the accounts (on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook) of the children and grandchildren of ultra-rich politicians and shared or reposted images and videos of their .

That included photos taken on high-end vacations in Europe, shopping for designer brands like Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Cartier, as well as their stays in family properties worth billions.

Social media engagement surged on posts with these images and with hashtags that included , #NepoKids, and #Corruption.

Some Gen Zs also made short videos on TikTok and Facebook highlighting corruption, inequality, poverty and nepotism; those videos also went viral.

All of these issues resonated with many .

Social media ban

Before Sept. 8, Gen Z's protests were peaceful and mostly took place online. But when the , Gen Z erupted, with many claiming that the decision was aimed at silencing their voices.

, and the ban was regarded as a violation of their rights. from the screen, calling for the resignation of the prime minister.

The protest turned into a battlefield as police on the same day; hundreds were also injured. As of now, the .

Aftermath

, but the situation further worsened. Protesters and court buildings, private businesses, banks and the homes of politicians and business people across the country.

After a series of , an interim six-month government was formed. Karki was appointed the first female prime minister of the country.

the upcoming election in March 2026, tackling corruption, investigating the killings of Gen Z protesters as well as the destruction of public and private property.

The power and perils of social media

Before the Nepal protests, dissenting youth in countries that include , and have used social media to air their grievances.

A study has shown how , amplifying marginal voices and building transnational solidarity. Examples include some of like #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, #MahsaAmini.

But its role in protest movements can also be problematic.

Amid the Gen Z protests in Nepal, was posted on Sept. 13 by a Facebook user with 63,000 followers, fueling panic among the protesters. The claim was determined to be false.

Gen Z protesters in Nepal and beyond are clearly having some success in bringing about social and political change. But with the growth of artificial intelligence, creating fake content is no longer difficult, and false information can proliferate quickly amid this generation.